1877 Indian Head Penny Value
Philadelphia struck 852,500 Indian Head cents in 1877, its fewest of any year of the bronze design.
Melt value
No melt value: base metal
This coin is bronze: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc. Doubloon doesn't give copper, nickel, zinc or steel a melt value; for this coin, the date, mint mark and condition decide the collector value.
Check yours in Doubloon
Photograph the front and back. Doubloon identifies the year and mint mark and shows the melt value. Doubloon Pro adds collector ranges with their sources and the key dates to check.
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Specifications
| Series | Indian Head Cent |
|---|---|
| Years | 1859 to 1909 |
| Mints | No mint mark (Philadelphia) S (San Francisco) |
| Mint mark location | Reverse, below the wreath at the bottom (1908-S and 1909-S only). |
| Years | Metal content | Composition | Weight | Diameter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1859 to 1864 | None (base metal) | 88% copper, 12% nickel | 4.67 g | 19 mm |
| 1864 to 1909 | None (base metal) | Bronze: 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc | 3.11 g | 19 mm |
Metal content = weight × precious-metal fraction ÷ 31.1034768 grams per troy ounce. Worn coins weigh slightly less than new ones.
Key dates and varieties to check
These are the known key dates, varieties and metal changes for the Indian Head Cent. Each entry says what to look at on the coin.
- Key date1877Check the date with a loupe. The 7s are often altered from 1875 or 1879, so look for tooling around the last digit.
- Variety1864 L on RibbonLook at the ribbon end behind the neck with a loupe for a small L (Longacre's initial). It appears only on bronze 1864 cents.
- Metal change1864 copper-nickel or bronzeWeigh it: copper-nickel pieces weigh about 4.67 g and look pale and thick; bronze pieces weigh about 3.11 g and are thinner and browner.
- Semi-key date1871Check the date for 1871.
- Semi-key date1872Check the date for 1872.
- Variety1873 Doubled LIBERTYLook at LIBERTY on the headband: the letters show strong doubling.
- Semi-key date1908-SLook for a small S below the wreath on the reverse and a 1908 date.
- Key date1909-S Indian HeadLook for a small S below the wreath on the reverse and a 1909 date.
Doubloon can't confirm a variety from a photo. Compare your coin with this guidance. A grading service can authenticate it.
What sets the value
Melt value is the gold, silver, platinum or palladium in the coin multiplied by the current spot price. Copper, nickel, zinc and steel coins have no melt value in Doubloon.
Collector value depends on the date, the mint mark, any variety, and condition. Doubloon Pro shows a collector estimate range by condition, built from recent public sales and listings, with the sources and date for each range. When no recent sales are found, Doubloon says so and shows the melt value.
Condition runs from Circulated (Good to Fine) through Extremely Fine, About Uncirculated and Uncirculated, to Proof for coins struck for collectors. Don't clean a coin: cleaning can lower its collector value.
Related coins
Sources and dates
- Doubloon catalog source: usmint-history
- A Guide Book of United States Coins (Whitman): key dates, varieties and mintages
- Doubloon catalog source: pcgs-coinfacts
- Doubloon catalog source: ngc-coin-explorer
- Spot prices: unavailable when this page was loaded.
- Specifications and key dates: Doubloon's catalog, reviewed October 8, 2026.
Values on this page are estimates, not appraisals, offers or investment advice.