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A slightly better date from a relatively lower mintage, of which many were melted down, making this a very scarce Indian Cent. The 1878 is a tougher date in circulated grades that becomes scarce in Mint State. It is notably rare in gem condition and very difficult to find with red color.
Obverse Description
A portrait bearing the likeness of a Native American in full headdress framed by the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around the periphery. The date is centered at the bottom under the portrait.
Reverse Description
The reverse bears the denomination of ONE CENT in the center surrounded by a wreath bearing a ribbon with arrows tied in at the bottom center.
Book Reference
1878 Cent Production: The quality of cents improved in 1878. Since 1864, the Mint had been purchasing all its copper planchets from private businesses (usually Scovill Manufacturing in Waterbury, Connecticut, although they were not the sole provider). Yearly bids were asked for the planchet contract. Competition came from Benedict & Burnham Brass & Copper Co., also of Waterbury. This year more than eight million older cents were redeemed and issued alongside the nearly six million new cents.
Survivability: This is a very diffcult date to locate in the upper circulated grades. Apparently the coins were released into circulation and stayed there well into the 20th century. However, enough of the coins escaped circulation that finding this date in Mint State is relatively easy.
Collecting Challenges: This is one of the last dates many collectors locate for their Extremely Fine and About Uncirculated sets. Collectors need to target this date to ensure finding a problem-free example.
Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is EF-40, with full diamond detail on the lower ribbon. Examples in grades below Fine are easy to locate; however, finding examples in About Uncirculated is very diffcult.
Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-64RB. These are usually available in all grades and are well struck. Search for examples with attractive eye appeal.
Collecting Proof Issues: The typical Proof from this year is well made; this is one of the more readily available dates in gem full red. Cameo examples are easier to find for 1878 than for most other dates.
From this date on, mintage figures are of actual coins produced as accounted in the report of the director of the Mint. Earlier, mintages of Proof minor coins were calculated from sales records of minor coin sets plus the production of silver sets (which had been recorded since 1859), or simply guessed at.
Starting about 1878, coin dealer David U. Proskey began a practice of purchasing the unsold cent, nickel three-cent, and five-cent Proof coinage from the Mint. This eventually grew into a vast hoard, which probably contained hundreds of each date of Proof cents from 1878 onward. In the 1920’s these were sold to F.C.C. Boyd, who later sold them to Howard MacIntosh of Tatham Coin Co. in Springfield, Massachusetts. By this time many of the coins had toned to vivid iridescent blue colors. Apparently the coins were kept in original Mint paper wrappers, which imparted this unusual tone. The Tatham Coin Co. marketed these in their advertisements as iridescent Proofs. These coins are encountered occasionally today and are very hotly contested when they are found.
VARIETIES:
The three varieties known include a repunched date (Snow-1), misplaced date (Snow-2), and reverse doubled die (Snow-3). None of these are under any great collector demand.
Catalog Information
GSID:
1347
Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1878
Reverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Reverse Lettering:
ONE CENT
Weight (gr):
3.11 gr
Weight (oz):
0.11 oz
Strike Type:
Business
Diameter:
19
Coin Shape:
Round
Edge:
Plain
Coin Date:
1878
Denomination:
1c
Designation:
MS
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
5,797,500
Coinage Type:
Indian Head Cent
Coinage Years:
1864-1909
Composition:
95% copper; 5% zinc & tin
PCGS #:
2130
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Subject: I would like to contribute catalog info to CDN for 1878 1c MS BN
Body: Referring page: http://dev.greysheet.com/prices/item/1878-united-states-indian-cent-brown-surfaces/gsid/1347 GSID: 1347 Title: 1878 1c MS BN
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Coin Value History
1878 1c MS BN
Value By Grade
1878 1c MS BN
CPG (retail) values
Currency
Grade Range
Grading Authority
Sort by
Pricing
Values
Greysheet & CPG® Values
| Grade | CAC | CPG Value (Retail) | Greysheet Price (Wholesale) |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS66 |
|
$1,600 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,250 | $1,234 |
| MS65 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS65 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS64 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS63 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS62 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS61 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| MS60 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU58 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU55 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU53 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AU50 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF45 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| XF40 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF35 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF30 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF25 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VF20 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F15 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| F12 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG10 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| VG8 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G6 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| G4 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 |
|
$1,234 | $1,234 |
| AG3 | - | $1,234 | $1,234 |
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Worth: $6 – $18,000
1860 1c Pointed Bust MS
Worth: $7 – $28,800
1861 1c MS
Worth: $14 – $72,000
1862 1c MS
Worth: $6 – $72,000
1863 1c MS
Worth: $6 – $18,750
1864 1c Copper Nickel MS
Worth: $14 – $20,000
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS BN [Type]
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Worth: $1 – $1,688
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RB [Type]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RB [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/Catalog/20250811/m7z2wm7kefb0wx6umy1d.webp?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
Worth: $44 – $2,000
Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RD [Type]
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Worth: $110 – $120,000
1864 1c Bronze MS BN
Worth: $10 – $625
1864 1c Bronze MS RB
Worth: $160 – $11,500
1864 1c Bronze MS RD
Worth: $300 – $18,000
1878 1C XF45 PCGS. CDN: $185 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS XF45. Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$192
1878 1C -- Cleaned -- ANACS Details. Unc Details. Net AU55. Housed in a small-sized holder. Mintage 5,799,850....
$204
1878 1C VF35 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (25/527). Mintage 5,799,850....
$129
1878 1C AU53 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (36/321). Mintage 5,799,850....
$216
1878 1C MS63 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: (94/83). Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$336
1878 1C VF30 PCGS. PCGS Population: (59/734 and 0/5+). Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$124
1878 1C XF40 PCGS. Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$149
1878 1C MS64 Brown PCGS. CAC. CAC Population: (11/6). Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$750
1878 1C VF25 PCGS. PCGS Population: (40/769 and 0/5+). Mintage 5,799,850. ...
$129
1878 1C MS65 Brown NGC....
$552
1878 1C MS62 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: (36/171). NGC Census: (41/155). CDN: $280 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS62. Mintage 5...
$276
1878 1C MS61 Brown NGC. Eagle eye photo seal included with coin. NGC Census: (12/195). PCGS Population: (2/207). CDN: $275 ...
$384
1878 1C AU50 PCGS. PCGS Population: (63/392). NGC Census: (26/339). CDN: $220 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU50. Mintage 5,799,8...
$216
1878 1C Fine 12 PCGS. PCGS Population: (16/803). NGC Census: (13/546). CDN: $60 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS Fine 12. Mintage 5,...
$62
1878 1C Fine 15 NGC. NGC Census: (8/536). PCGS Population: (13/784). CDN: $85 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS Fine 15. Mintage 5,79...
$95
1878 1C AU58 PCGS. PCGS Population: (69/200). NGC Census: (47/196). CDN: $265 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS AU58. Mintage 5,799,8...
$288
1878 1c PCGS VG Details (Environmental Damage)
$25
1878 1C MS60 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: (5/175). NGC Census: (0/186). CDN: $270 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS60. Mintage 5,7...
$264
1878 1c PCGS AG-03
$17
1878 1C MS66 Brown PCGS. CAC. ...
$1,446
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