1864 Copper-Nickel Indian Head Penny Value: What Is It Worth in 2026?
⚠ Key date / rare varietyCopper-nickel "white cent" eraMintage: ~13.7 million struck
Estimated value · Source: USACoinBook price guide (updated Feb 2026)
1864 Indian Head Penny · Copper-Nickel
Mint: Philadelphia (no mint mark)
Worth selling
Worth selling individually: list it on eBay or offer it to a local coin dealer. Grading fees would eat the profit at this level, so sell it as-is.
Value by condition
| Good (G-4, heavily worn) | $30 |
| Very Good (VG-8) | $43 |
| Fine (F-12) | $56 |
| Very Fine (VF-20) | $73 |
| Extremely Fine (XF-40) | $144 |
| About Uncirculated (AU-50) | $207 |
| Mint State (MS-63, uncirculated) | $527 |
The last year of the copper-nickel Indian Head: the pale, thicker 'white cent'. Mid-1864 the Mint switched to bronze — the copper-nickel version is the earlier, chunkier coin.
See the full page for this coin (mintage, how to identify it, where to sell)How to confirm it's genuine
- The date is on the obverse below the portrait. Only 1908-S and 1909-S carry a mint mark (under the wreath on the reverse) — every other year is Philadelphia with no mark.
- Coins of 1859–1864 are copper-nickel: paler in color, slightly thicker. Bronze began partway through 1864 — the color difference is visible at a glance.
- Never clean the coin: cleaning destroys the original surface and can cut the value in half.
- For any coin worth more than $200, PCGS/NGC grading fees (~$20–50) are money well spent.
Where to sell this coin
- eBay works best in the $1.00–$200 range. Take clear photos of both sides in natural light, and put the year, variety, and approximate grade in the title.
- A local coin dealer is the fastest way to cash out, but expect 60–70% of guide prices. Common-date Indian Head pennies sell well by the roll or in mixed lots.
- Graded high-value coins do best at auction houses like Heritage Auctions or Stack's Bowers, where realized prices are public.