1905 Indian Head Penny Value (Rare Errors & No Mintmarks) (2023)

Do you own a 1905 Indian head penny and are curious how much it is worth today?

Indian head pennies are popular with collectors, but those minted between 1901 and 1909 are particularly collectible. Obviously, the 1905 penny is one of them, so rest assured that your coin is probably worth a decent sum.

Like the other coins in the series, the 1905 Indian head penny is very attractive, particularly in uncirculated gem condition. These Mint State pennies can sometimes be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars!

This article tells you what the Indian head penny value was in 1905. You will learn about the historical significance of the coin, physical characteristics, known errors and of course its true value.

Let's begin!

1905 Indian Head Penny Value Chart

History of the 1905 Indian Head Penny

The Indian head penny is also known as the Indian head cent. The United States Mint produced this one cent coin from 1859 to 1909, with 80 million being made at the Philadelphia mint.

The history of the 1905 Indian Head Penny dates back to the 1850's when there were massive swings in copper bullion prices. the us Mint produced copper coins at the time, but the high metal prices forced a rethink.

The mint considered reducing the size of the cent or mixing copper with another metal to use less copper. This decision resulted in the Flying Eagle cent, thicker and heavier but the same size as the previous copper Lincoln cent.

The new Flying Eagle cent was 88% copper and 12% nickel. But the coin was only struck for three years, between 1856 and 1857, when the mint asked chief engraver James Longacre to design another coin that would be easier to strike on the copper-nickel alloy planchettes.

Longacre developed several designs, and eventually Mint Director James Snowden settled on the one with the Indian head on the front and laurel wreaths on the back. It is said that Snowden chose this design because it was the simplest and was easy to strike on the copper-nickel planchets.

The mint approved the design in November 1858, and production of the new Indian head coin began in January 1859. This new coin proved very popular and the mint produced up to 80 million by 1905. The Indian head pennies, minted between 1900 and 1905, are highly collectible and can be worth a lot in new, uncirculated condition.

Features of the 1905 Indian Head Penny

In this section we will look at the physical characteristics of the 1905 Indian Head Penny. Knowing what to look for can help you determine if your coin is worth more than face value.

The obverse of the 1905 Indian Head Penny

The obverse of the Native American head penny features a beautiful left-facing portrait of Lady Liberty adorned with a Native American headdress. According to legend, the portrait depicts the daughter of chief engraver James Longacre, but this has never been proven.

A band around the lady's head bears the word LIBERTY. The words UNITED STATES appear on the left edge of the coin, while OF AMERICA is engraved on the right edge.

The date 1905 appears at the bottom of the coin, below the lady's severed neck.

The reverse of the 1905 Indian Head Penny

The reverse of the 1905 Indian head penny features a shield at the top of the coin.

An oak wreath appears around the edges of the coin on the left and right sides, connected with a ribbon at the bottom. You will notice three arrows at the bottom of the ribbon.

The denomination of the coin, ONE CENT, appears in the center.

Other features of the 1905 Indian Head Penny

The Indian Head Penny is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc.

The coin weighs 3.11 grams and measures 19mm in diameter. It has a fluted edge with the reeds appearing around the front and back edges.

Since it was minted in Philadelphia, this coin has no mint mark.

1905 Indian Head Penny Value Guides

If you are curious about the value of your 1905 Indian Head Penny then this section is for you. There are two varieties of the Indian head penny created in 1905. These are:

• 1905 Indian Head penny without mint mark
• 1905 PP Indian Head Penny

A total of 80 million Indian Head pennies were produced in 1905, so these coins are not uncommon. But people hoarded many of their Indian Head pennies as soon as the mint put them into circulation. Therefore, it is quite difficult to get 1905 Indian head pennies in mint, uncirculated condition or ones that look as new as they left the mint, but these coins can be extremely valuable.

Let's take a deep dive into each of the two Indian Head pennies and find out what they're worth.

1905 No-Mintmark Indian Head Penny Value

the us Mint facility minted and issued 80,717,011 Indian Head pennies. Because these coins were minted at the Philadelphia Mint, they do not have a mint mark.

Most of the 80 million pennies were circulated that year, so these coins are common. After decades of use, expect the circulating 1905 Indian Head Pennies to be worn, chipped, and sometimes damaged.

Depending on condition, the unminted 1905 Indian Head Penny ranges in circulation from $2 to $35 in circulation. As you can see, a 1905 Indian head penny is likely to be worth more than face value, making it a great addition to your collection.

Since most of these coins were issued and a number were subsequently hoarded, it is quite rare to find a 1905 Indian head cent in mint uncirculated condition. If you're lucky enough to come across one, it can fetch you up to $375 or more for notes higher than $66 mint (M.S.).

The most expensive 1905 Indian Head penny is a red jewel graded MS67. It was auctioned in 2013 for $19,975.

1905 Indian Head Penny Evidence

In addition to the regular pennies, the coin minted 2,152 proof for collectors. Proofs are struck multiple times using the finest quality dies, resulting in highly attractive coins with a lustrous sheen and brilliant strike.

1905 Indian head prints in red gem condition are the most valuable, but brown ones are equally valuable. Since only a few of these coins were minted and are already in the hands of collectors, they are extremely rare.

Depending on the condition and color of the coin, a 1905 Indian Head Proof Penny is worth anywhere from $150 to $1900.

The most expensive 1905 brown gem Indian Head penny is graded PR67 and sold for $3335 in 2005.

Related post: 19 Most Valuable Indian Head Worth Penny Money

1905 Indian Head Penny Errors

1905 Indian head pennies are generally worth more than face value, even in circulation condition. Your coin could be worth hundreds or thousands if it is in an uncirculated gemstone condition.

1905 Indian Head Penny Errors might also be worth a lot if you know what to look for. Given that 80 million of these have been minted, there are several readily available error coins. But of course, not all bugs are worth collecting.

Let's look at the most common 1905 Indian Head penny mistakes.

1905 Cross out Indian Head Penny Error

Strikethrough mistakes are among the most common. When striking a coin, the die and planchet should be clean and free of debris, resulting in a perfect strike when the die and bowl come together.

Sometimes dirt, dust, or other debris can get caught between the die and the cup, causing the design to be partially or completely missing.

The value of a 1905 Indian head penny strikethrough error depends on how dramatic the error is. Defects in which the breakdown is preserved are worth significantly more, i. H. where the dirt or residue is imprinted on the coin and remains attached.

In general, expect to make $20-$30 for your 1905 crossed-out Indian head penny bug.

1905 Off-Center Indian Head Penny Error

Off-center errors occur when the cup and die are not square. The misalignment causes the coin design to be struck off center, so the final coin is missing part of the design.

The value of a 1905 Indian head penny with an off-centre error depends on how much of the design is missing and whether the date is present. Coins that are at least 30% to 50% missing and show the full date are worth much more than coins with no date or part of it missing.

Your Indian Head penny with an off-center error can fetch you $460 or more depending on how dramatic the error is, and of course the presence of the date increases the coin's value.

1905 Truncated Planchet Indian Head Penny Error

Cropped cup failure occurs when the strips of bare metal from which circular cups are cut are misfed into the press dies. This misalignment results in circular blanks that are not cut accurately.

The punch can run over the edge of the coin during the striking process, creating a clip or chip. The result is a coin with a small piece missing or seemingly broken.

Depending on the angle at which the cutting machine cuts the blank, there are different types of cutting errors. The value of the various clipped planchet errors does not differ drastically.

A 1905 Indian Head penny with a truncated planchet error is generally worth between $89 and $100, depending on how quirky the clip looks.

frequently asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions collectors have about the 1905 Indian Head Penny.

How rare is a 1905 penny?

The United States Mint produced and issued just over 80 million Indian head pennies in 1905. This large number makes the 1905 penny abundant and still in circulation. However, there are some rare 1905 Indian headed pennies and these are the proofs and the regular coins in uncirculated red gem mint condition. These coins are rare because the mint produced few examples and collectors hoarded a large sum of these coins, which are now worth hundreds of dollars.

Which Indian penny is worth the most?

Indian pennies are generally worth more than face value. Those dated between 1901 and 1909 when the series ended are quite collectible and highly sought after. However, the 1877 Indian Head penny is an exception - it is the most valuable Indian Head penny of all time. The coin's low mintage of 852,500 and the fact that all of these coins were produced with a single die make the year 1877 interesting for collectors. Nonetheless, Indian head pennies, including the 1905 one, are well worth having in your collection.

Where is the mint mark on the 1905 Indian Head penny?

1905 Indian Head pennies were minted at the Philadelphia facility. Like most Philly coin series, this one has no mint mark on either the reverse or the obverse. Fortunately, the lack of a mint mark does not affect the value of the 1905 Indian Head Penny. Your coin is worth more than face value, even in circulation condition.