Longacre gain fame not just as the creative mind behind the Indian Head penny (which actually features a bust of his daughter, Sarah), but he was also the designer of the two-cent piece.

He served as the Chief Engraver at the United States Mint from 1844 until his passing in 1869. Longacre designed 1896 Indian Head pennies. Mint also struck proof 1896 pennies, though these were made in a much small quantity of just 1,862 coins.

In a grade of Good-4, those sell for around $2. In fact, 39,057,293 business strikes were made for commerce purposes. Most 1896 pennies are snapped up by numismatists who are assembling type sets, and they are also pursued by coin collectors who are putting together a series collection of Indian Head pennies.ġ896 Indian Head cents were struck in large numbers. However, 1896 pennies are widely available at most coin shops and are frequently encountered in mixed-date rolls and bags. Pictured is a top quality example, the result of careful handling, this choice 1890 penny is easily worth over 40. If a close look at your coin finds details within the feathers this confirms higher 1890 Indian head penny value. 1896 Indian Head cents are common coins from the numismatic perspective, which might not seem to be the case given the fact that these old pennies are virtually impossible to find in circulation these days. Hobbyist along with coin dealers are always searching for these old pennies in the best condition possible.

Copper indian head penny 1898