1905 Indian Head Penny Value: Aren't Mintmarks Worth Money? (2023)

If you snag a 1905 Indian Head penny, you might be lucky enough to sell it for a lot of money.

If you're looking to buy one of these pretty coins but aren't sure how much they're worth, you've come to the right place.

Let's learn all about the 1905 Indian Head penny value, details, errors, grading and history. Enjoy!

1905 Indian Head Penny Value Details

• Category – Indian penny
• Mintze - Philadelphia
• Total Circulation – 80 000 000+
• Front Designer - James B. Longacre
• Reverse-Designer – James B. Longacre
• Composition - 95% copper; 5% zinc and tin
• Weight - 3.11 grams (0.10 ounces)
• Diameter - 19mm (0.7 inch)

The Indian Head Penny, minted in 1905, is a coin that contains 90% copper, giving it a beautiful reddish brown colour. It's a small coin, just 19 millimeters in diameter and weighing just over 3 grams.

There wasmore than 80 million coinsbrought to market in 1905 alone. This means that the Indian Head Penny is not rare per se. However, most of the well-preserved coins are already in the hands of numismatists. So if you find one, it's probably in bad shape.

Unlike many other coins produced during this period, the 1905 Indian Head penny has no value based on precious metals as it contains none.

The value of this coin largely depends on its condition. So if yours is shiny and you can see all the details clearly, it can be worth a lot.

The coins in poor condition can sell for as little as a dollar or two, but those that are in good condition and in mint condition can reach prices in the thousands of dollars.

Another thing that can increase the price of the 1905 Indian Head Penny are some potential errors that can happen during the minting process. We'll talk about that later.

1905 Indian Head Penny Value Chart

Since there were so many Indian Head penniesmanufactured 1905, their price is not high unless they are in near perfect condition. However, considering the face value of this coin was only one cent, you can most likely still sell it for more, making it worth it.

These coins in poor condition are usually worth less than a dollar. Their value increases with the quality of the penny, with those in good and better condition being worth $8 to $150. If you are lucky and have a mint condition coin, you can make thousands of dollars on sale.

1905 Indian Head Penny Value & Varieties Guide

The 1905 Indian Head penny was not minted in multiple locations like most coins from the period. This coin was only minted at the Philadelphia Mint, so this is the only variety available. Let's learn more about it.

1905 Indian Head penny with no mint mark value

• Typ – Indian Head Penny
• Edge - smooth
• Like Mark - good like Mark
• Prägeort – Philadelphia
• Year of issue – 1905
• Face value – 1 cent
• Preis – $1 – $1 000 +
• Produced quantity - over 80 000 000
• Designer – James B. Longacre
• Composition - 95% copper; 5% zinc and tin
• Mass – 3.11 grams
• Diameter - 19 millimeters

The Indian Head Penny is a beautiful coin designed by James B. Longacre. It has a smooth edge and a reddish-brown color thanks to its high copper content.

The obverse (obverse) depicts Lady Liberty wearing a headdress typically associated with Native American culture, hence the coin's name. The words UNITED STATES are engraved on the left and AMERICA on the right. Below Lady Liberty is the year 1905.

The reverse (obverse) has a wreath of flowers around the edges of the coin, uniting to form a shield on top. Inside the flowers is the face value – ONE CENT.

Its simple but powerful design makes it one of the more beautiful coins of this period. However, some critics have stated that the coin is culturally insensitive as the image does not properly represent Native American culture.

The price of this coin ranges from a few cents to several thousand dollars. The exact value depends on the condition of the coin, so it's best to have it professionally graded before selling it. It can be worth a lot more than you expect.

The 1905 Indian Head penny was minted nowhere other than Philadelphia, so there are no rare pennies with different mint marks that can be worth more.

However, the mint producesseveral thousand coins in proof– Pennies that have the same design as the regular ones but are printed with the highest quality dies and finishes. These coins are aimed at collectors rather than circulation, which is why their prices are much higher.

If you come across one or more of these coins, you are very lucky as their value can reach thousands of dollars.

1905 Indian Head Penny History

The history of the Indian Head Penny begins in 1859, when the then chief engraver of the US Mint developed the design we know today. While he designed several other coins during his career, this one is considered one of the best.

Indian Head pennies continued in production until 1909, a total of fifty years. For most of those years, these coins were minted at various mints, including Philadelphia, New Orleans, San Francisco, Denver, and Carson City.

A total of over one billion Indian Head coins were minted during those fifty years. Many of these are rare and very expensive to buy, but those from 1905 don't belong in this group unless they're in perfect condition.

The ones made in 1905 were only minted in Philadelphia, so they don't have a mint mark. Since the coins produced in 1905 were among the last in the series, they are popular with collectors.

Throughout the history of the production of this coin, it has undergone several changes in design. It replaced a Flying Eagle Cent that was in production for just a year before being discontinued.

The Indian Head penny was replaced by the Lincoln cent, which was introduced in 1909 to commemorate Abraham Lincoln's 100th birthday.

Overall, this penny remains a part of US history in more ways than one. It is a beautiful coin that collectors love and represents Native Americans and their role in the development of the USA.

Also, it was used for five decades, so it saw some of the biggest changes in this country's history, such as the Civil War.

Today, this coin is not worth much unless it is highly valued. But even if you find one in poor condition, it's a very significant and beautiful addition to your collection. Who knows, maybe one day it'll be worth so much more, so hold on tight!

1905 Indian Head Penny Grading

The grade of a 1905 Indian Head Penny is based on the overall condition of your coin. The lower grades are bad and fair, then about good, good, very good, fine, very fine and extremely fine, and the best grades a coin can get are about uncirculated and like new.

Mint coins have the greatest value and can be sold or bought at high prices.

1905 Indian Head Penny Errors

Manufacturing defects of old coins are not desirable if the coins have just left the mint. Over time, however, these coins will become collectors' favourites.

Because of this, you should examine each coin carefully and see if there are any flaws in it. Here are some of the most common when it comes to Indian Head's penny errors.

1. 1905 Indian Head Penny Schrötling

A cut off flan is an error that occurs when the punches hit and cut off part of the coin because the coin was not placed correctly in the machine.

This error is very unique and interesting, which is why the chipped coins have a much higher value than the regular ones.

The truncated planchet error is also the easiest to spot. You don't need a magnifying glass or other tools to help you examine it, just look for missing parts of the coin.

2. 1905 Indian Head Penny doubles obverse

Duplicate dice on the face of a coin occurs when the dice accidentally hit twice or when the dice is engraved with a duplicate image.

This creates a double minted coin. This error is sometimes barely noticeable and you need an expert to examine and validate your coin. Sometimes it's severe and you'll be able to see it right away.

Remember that this coin is over a hundred years old. Over time, it can become damaged and worn, so you may mistake the coin's age for a factory defect. Consult a professional before buying or selling any coin.

3. 1905 Indian Head Penny post-punched date

A re-date error occurs when the dies striking the coin's date (the reverse in this case) strike twice.

With this error, you can probably see immediately if the date is engraved twice. Sometimes it's difficult to spot if the coin is badly worn or damaged, but other times it's pretty easy to see the duplicate date.

4. 1905 Indian Head penny die breaks

Dice breaks are another common mistake with these pennies. Stamps are the machines that stamp the coin on both sides and engrave the design and words inside.

As the dies are used over a period of time, they gradually lose their ability to effectively transfer the design onto the coins. In this case, the coins may have irregular shapes or parts of the image may be missing.

Although this flaw can increase the price of the coin due to its uniqueness, it shouldn't be too noticeable. If it's strong enough, it can spoil the appearance of the coin so that it wouldn't be worth much anymore.

5. 1905 Indian Head penny off-center punches

Off-center hits occur when the coin is not properly placed on the machine when the punches are hit. This causes the design to be misaligned and sometimes parts of the design are completely missing from the coin.

Coins with this flaw can be popular with collectors, but only if the flaw is not too severe. You must consult an experienced numismatist to verify if your coin is worth more or less due to an off-center minting error.

frequently asked Questions

Is a 1905 Indian penny worth anything?

The value of Indian Head pennies largely depends on the condition of the coin. While some of the coins in poor condition sell for just a few dollars, there are mint pennies that can sell for tens of thousands of dollars.

What do Indian Head pennies symbolize?

Indian Head pennies are believed to represent actual Native American women, but the identities of these women are unknown. The penny symbolizes a tribute to Native Americans and is a reminder of important events in the US at the time, such as the Civil War.

How rare is a 1905 penny?

This penny is not rare as many of them were made as early as 1905. However, most of them are already taken by collectors, so it can be difficult to find ones that are worth something without paying a lot of money.

How do you clean Indian Head pennies?

Not you! Well, at least you shouldn't do it yourself. Cleaning the pennies can damage them and lower their price significantly, so take them for classification first.