Being more than 100 years old, the 1875 Indian Head Penny is not an easy find for any collector. As the years pass, that find will only be made increasingly difficult as the quantity of coins diminishes. Making the search for one of these coins even more difficult is the fact that it is not common to find one in great condition. More often than not these coins will be in pretty rough shape, and that is something no collector wants to hear.
This coin is still considered to be from the early years of Indian Head production, and is heavily sought after as a result.
If you want to know how much you can expect to pay for an Indian Head, or how much you can sell it for, the first thing you must consider is the coin’s condition. For coin’s as old as the 1875 Indian Head, the condition the coin is in means everything to investors. Part of determining the condition of the coin is giving the coin a grade.
Though grading is usually done by coin experts, you can utilize the specifications below to give your coin(s) a rough grade or to see what you can expect from a coin’s aesthetics given its grade.
Uncirculated: By nature, Uncirculated 1875 Indian Head Pennies were never used. Instead, they were taken off the production line and immediately preserved. As a result, these coins will show no signs of wear and will look almost as bright and shiny as the day they were produced. With that being said, these coins are quite difficult to find.
Extremely Fine: An Extremely Fine coin saw some time in circulation, but was preserved not too long afterwards. Though it may be a bit dull and show some minimal scratching, the coin is still in pristine condition and all of its details and imagery are able to be seen with the naked eye.
Fine: A Fine Indian Head spent a good amount of time in circulation. Raised parts of the coin have begun to wear down over time, though the imagery is still able to be made out quite easily. Noticeable scratching and other blemishes are unavoidable with coins of this grade.
Good: Coins of this grade have been heavily circulated and show many, many signs of wear. The raised features of the coin will be worn down and some of the imagery may be difficult to decipher with the naked eye. Still quite rare, Good Indian Heads are a great addition to any collection.
To know what to expect to pay for a coin, you must analyze its condition and know its grade. As you might expect, those Indian Heads that are in fine condition are the ones that carry the heftiest price tags. With that being said, however, these coins are a steal in any condition. The chart below will tell you what you can expect to pay for these coins given their specific grade.
1875 Indian Head Penny
DATE | GOOD | FINE | EXTREMELY FINE | UNCIRCULATED |
---|---|---|---|---|
1875 | $22 | $60 | $120 | $160 | Source: Red Book |