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The 1868 Indian Cent is a slightly better date in the Indian Cent Series especially in comparison to previous issues. It is even relatively difficult to acquire in circulated grades. When uncirculated, this date is scarce with red gems, in particular, being very rare.
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
1868 Cent Production: The Mint continued to put most of its attention on producing the five-cent nickel and the one-cent piece. The two-and three-cent pieces were still being made in sizable quantities, but their totals were nowhere near the amount minted for the one- and five-cent coins. The coinage of cents was not much greater in quantity than in 1866 and 1867.
In Congress this year, Mint Director Linderman promoted a bill that called for the abolishment of all other coinage below 25 cents, to be replaced by nickel coinage in one-cent, three-cent, and five-cent denominations. The three-cent piece and five-cent nickel were already established, but the idea of changing the cent to nickel failed in the Senate and lost favor when James Pollock replaced Linderman the next year.
Survivability: This issue was not considered scarce until well after the coinage melts of 1871 to 1875 (see the discussion under 1871). Any high-grade survivors were kept from being melted only by chance. Most of this mintage today is in grades lower than Fine. Many surviving Very Fine to About Uncirculated coins were destroyed during the 1960’s when unscrupulous people took these coins and wire-brushed them to simulate mint luster.
Collecting Challenges: Selecting problem-free coins will be diffcult. Search for well-struck pieces with good eye appeal and expect to pay a premium for these coins.
Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is VF-20. These are mostly found in grades below Fine. Finding attractive well-struck coins in choice circulated condition is diffcult. Stay away from problem coins with heavy scratches or corrosion, unless they are offered at a gift price.
Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-64RB. These are available in quantities similar to those of the 1866 and 1867 coins. All three dates should be priced similarly, except in grades MS-65RD or higher, as more 1868 pieces are available in this grade. Selecting quality pieces is diffcult, as many of these suffer from poor strikes. Expect to pay a premium for very attractive examples.
Collecting Proof Issues: These are found in similar quantities as the 1866, 1867, and 1869 issues. Examples tend to be red-brown in color, as many planchets have streaky toning due to improperly mixed alloy.
About 15% of this issue is found with the reverse rotated 170 degrees from normal. These are possibly from a group of Proofs struck a year or two after the date on the coin. This was a period when the Mint was striking many collector coins of earlier dates.
VARIETIES:
There are three doubled dies known for this year. Snow-1, with doubling on the lower ribbon and the designer’s initial, L, receives the highest premium, but is relatively unknown outside of specialist collectors. Five varieties featuring repunched dates are known as well, but all are rather minor.
Catalog Information
GSID:
1311
Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Designer:
James B. Longacre
Obverse Lettering:
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 1868
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:
1868
Denomination:
1c
Designation:
MS
Mint Location:
Philadelphia
Mintage:
10,266,500
Coinage Type:
Indian Head Cent
Coinage Years:
1864-1909
Composition:
95% copper; 5% zinc & tin
PCGS #:
2091
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Body: Referring page: http://dev.greysheet.com/prices/item/1868-united-states-indian-cent-brown-surfaces/gsid/1311 GSID: 1311 Title: 1868 1c MS BN
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Coin Value History
1868 1c MS BN
Value By Grade
1868 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 |
|
$1,500 | $1,234 |
| MS66 | - | $1,200 | $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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1860 1c Round Bust MS
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]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS BN [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/CatalogEntry/auctions_stacksbowers_com_lots_view_3_j4gae-0.20200712022457246.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
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]
![Indian Head Cent 1c Bronze, 1864-1909 MS RD [Type]](https://images.greysheet.com/Ctc/Catalog/20200826/ha_com_131705_30309-0.20200826140250544.jpg?MaxWidth=200&Mode=Pad&Scale=UpscaleCanvas&format=webp)
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
1868 1C MS62 Brown PCGS. PCGS Population: 66 in 62, 226 finer (1/26). CDN: $275 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS62. Mintage 10,2...
$293
1868 1C XF45 Brown PCGS. CDN: $160 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS XF45. Mintage 10,266,500....
$171
1868 1C -- Cleaned, Corroded -- ANACS Details. XF45 Details. Mintage 10,266,500....
$109
1868 1C MS63 Brown PCGS. CDN: $340 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCGS MS63. Mintage 10,266,500....
$439
1868 1C AU55 PCGS. Ex: Eagle Eye Photo Seal. PCGS Population: 97 in 55, 390 finer (11/25). CDN: $225 Whsle. Bid for NGC/PCG...
$240
1868 1C AU58 PCGS. PCGS Population: (88/291). Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$288
1868 1C AU53 PCGS. PCGS Population: (67/475). Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$222
1868 1C MS64 Brown PCGS. CAC. CAC Population: (20/17). Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$516
1868 1C MS61 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (23/280). Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$252
1868 1C VF30 PCGS. PCGS Population: (56/977). Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$109
1868 1C AU50 Brown NGC. NGC Census: (42/524). Mintage 10,266,500....
$180
1868 1C MS66 Brown PCGS. CAC....
$1,800
1868 1C VF35 ANACS. Mintage 10,266,500. ...
$109
1868 PCGS MS-65+BN
$855
1868 1C VF25 PCGS. PCGS Population: 30 in 25, 945 finer (1/23). NGC Census: 20 in 25, 704 finer (1/23). Mintage 10,266,500....
$99
1868 1C -- Cleaned -- ANACS. MS60 Details. Mintage 10,266,500....
$276
1C 1868 PCGS MS67 BN CAC
$8,519
1868 1c PCGS VG-10
$75
1868 1c PCGS VG Details (Graffiti)
$13
1868 1c PCGS Fine Details (Environmental Damage)
$25
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