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1905 is the year when the Ford Model F launched, the Russian Revolution happened… and the 1905 Indian Head Penny was minted! An important age with an important coin.
How much is a 1905 Indian head penny worth? We’ll see why collectors are so fond of the series and what examples of this con are truly rare.
Do you have a collection at home? Check coin value without leaving your home with an app.
1905 Indian Head Penny Overview
The 1905 Indian penny was minted from 1859 to 1909, for a total run of 51 years. The design was made with simplicity in mind. This philosophy was carried by the next series of wheat pennies, represented by the 1917 penny and other years. But let’s stop on the Indian coin, designed by James Barton Longacre.
Obverse: A left-facing profile of Lady Liberty wearing a Native American-style headdress (not an actual Native American). The headdress has the word "LIBERTY" inscribed on the band. Other inscriptions are "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" around the edge, and "1905" at the bottom (the date).
Reverse: A laurel and oak wreath surrounding the denomination. A small Union shield sits at the top of the wreath. The denomination: "ONE CENT" is centered inside the wreath.
The main characteristics of the 1905 penny | |
Country | United States |
Years of Minting | 1864-1909 |
Type: | Standard circulation |
Shape: | Round |
Composition and metal content | Bronze (95% Copper, 5% Zinc) |
Diameter | 19 mm |
Weight | 3.11 grams |
The Mints | United States Mint of Philadelphia, United States Mint of San Francisco (1908, 1909) |
Indian Head Penny 1905 Mint Marks
The 1905 Indian penny has no mint marks, technically. It was only minted at the Philadelphia Mint, which didn’t mark its coins at that time.
There were about 80,717,011 pennies produced in the Philadelphia Mint in 1905.
If you see a 1905 Indian Head cent with an "S" mint mark, it's not authentic — likely altered or counterfeit.
Collector’s Value
The 1905 one cent (And the Indian series as a whole) is quite popular among collectors, but why?
1. Historical Significance. Minted from 1859 to 1909, Indian Head cents span key periods in U.S. history, including:
The Civil War
Reconstruction
The Industrial Revolution
Westward expansion
2. Distinctive Design:
The design is quite unorthodox compared to most other liberty coins. Compared to the Indian series, the 1921 Mercury Dime put only a little spin on the classic Liberty design.
3. Copper Composition:
Copper by itself is not a very valuable metal, but copper pieces have many varieties, and some colours are more favoured.
Made from 95% copper, these coins often develop attractive natural patinas. Collectors appreciate the variety of tones and finishes that develop over time.
This “colour rating” works for every copper piece, not just the Indian coin. Red pennies from the Lincoln series are worth a lot.
4. Accessibility:
Indian Head cents are relatively affordable in lower grades, particularly for common dates from the 1880s and 1890s.
Such affordability makes them a great entry point for new collectors while still appealing to experienced numismatists.
5. Numismatic Legacy
This series helped popularize coin collecting in the United States.
It laid the groundwork for the Lincoln cent series and remains a cornerstone of American numismatics.
Penny Grading
The 1905 penny value today largely depends on grading. The coin is assessed and scored according to the Sheldon scale, where the maximum number of points is 70. The higher the points, the higher the value!
Grade Name | Grade Code | Description / Key Features |
Poor | P-1 | Date barely visible, extremely worn, design barely identifiable. |
About Good | AG-3 | Outline of Liberty and wreath visible, heavy wear, rims mostly flat. |
Good | G-4 to G-6 | LIBERTY worn off, outline clear, wreath mostly merged with rim. |
Very Good | VG-8 to VG-10 | LIBERTY is partially visible, with better detail in feathers and wreath. |
Fine | F-12 to F-15 | LIBERTY is mostly readable, feather and hair details are clearer. |
Very Fine | VF-20 to VF-35 | LIBERTY is fully visible, good feather and wreath detail. |
Extremely Fine | XF-40 to XF-45 | Light wear on high points, full LIBERTY, sharp hair, and wreath lines. |
About Uncirculated | AU-50 to AU-58 | Trace wear on highest points only, most original details are preserved with some luster. |
Mint State | MS-60 to MS-70 | No wear, full details preserved, original mint luster, MS-65+ is high collector grade. |
1905 Indian Head Penny Error List
Along with grading ,the presence of errors can also boost 1905 Indian penny worth. We encounter coin errors even today, but back in the past there were more of them, and the Indian series is more than a century old.
Off-Center Strike
How to identify: Part of the design is missing, and the date may be partly cut off.
Estimated Value: $50–$300+, depending on how drastic the shift is.
Error Cause: The Coin was not properly centered in the press.
Broadstrike Error
How to identify: The Coin appears wider and flatter. It has no defined rim.
Estimated Value: $5–$200+, depending on the severity.
Error Cause: Collar die malfunction.
Sometimes people confuse broadsticks with off-centred pieces. You’ll need to look closely at a rim and/or compare it with normal pieces, which should be smaller. Use collecting tools like a magnifying glass to make sure.
Clipped Planchet
How to identify: A crescent-shaped piece is missing from the edge.
Estimated Value: $30–$200+, depending on size and placement.
Error Cause: The Planchet was improperly cut before striking.
A planchet (sometimes called a "blank") is the piece of metal that is fed into a coin press, where it receives the coin's design through striking. A part of it is missing in such an error.
Double Die Obverse (DDO)
How to identify: Doubling in date or "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" or other lettering.
Estimated Value: $100–$500+ if authenticated.
Error Cause: Die shifted between strikes.
A rare and valuable error! One of the most valuable flaws you can't identify. The example above has a double letter on the "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA".
Value of 1905 Indian Head Penny
Now we know why this piece is valued by the collectors and what raises this value. Time to answer the question: What is a 1905 Indian head penny worth? Observe in this table.
Grade | Approximate Value Range (USD) |
Poor (P-1) | $0.50 – $1.00 |
Good (G-4 to G-6) | $1 – $3 |
Very Good (VG-8) | $3 – $6 |
Fine (F-12 to F-15) | $6 – $12 |
Very Fine (VF-20 to VF-35) | $12 – $25 |
Extremely Fine (EF-40 to EF-45) | $25 – $50 |
About Uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58) | $50 – $100 |
Mint State (MS-60 to MS-63) | $100 – $250 |
Higher Mint State (MS-65+) | $250+ (scarce in high grades) |
The 1905 Indian head penny value today is quite respectable. Remember the face value of a penny is $0.01, and even the poorest examples go for a higher price.
Coin ID Scanner
No one can remember all the coins. If only there were an app that could remember and identify the pieces for you… Oh, it exists! Coin ID Scanner, an app that has over 150.000 coin entries and can scan them.
Here are some of the features the app has:
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AI Consultant: Receive assistance and answers to your numismatic queries.
Numismatic News: Stay updated with the latest in the world of coins and collectibles.
Want to download Coin ID Scanner? You can download it for free on iOS/Android.
FAQs
What Is 1905 5 Cent Coin Value?
The 1905 5-cent coin is known as the Liberty Head "V" Nickel (minted 1883–1913). It’s a different denomination from the Indian head series. The circulated pieces go for $1 – $70, and the uncirculated could be 375$+. Liberty Nickels are generally worth more than the Indian series. One 1911 Liberty Nickel was sold for $14,688 at an auction!
How Much Is 1905 Penny Worth?
$1 – $50 in circulated grades, and $100+ for unarticulated. A 1905 Indian head cent may go for a bigger price when it has errors, like doubled dies, off-center strikes, broadstruck state, etc.
What Is 1905 Wheat Penny Value?
Unfortunately, such coins don't exist. There’s an Indian head series, which ran from 1859 to 1909, and the Wheat penny (Lincoln Wheat cent) series, which started in 1909 and continued until 1958. The 1905 Indian head wheat penny doesn’t exist.
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