In its early history, the mints did not do a stellar job of tallying all the coins and dies that they produced. When we consider different design types, we are often left to only estimate what the actual mintage might be by examine the ratio of the population as it exists today. Below are tables that contain the best information that we can gather regarding the Indian Head Cent mintage numbers.
COPPER-NICKEL, NO SHIELD ON REVERSE (1859 ONLY)
Date |
Mintage for Circulation |
Mintage of Proofs |
1859 |
36,400,000 |
est. 800 |
COPPER-NICKEL, WITH SHIELD ON REVERSE (1860-1864)
Date |
Mintage for Circulation |
Mintage of Proofs |
1860 |
20,566,000 |
est. 1,000 |
1861 |
10,100,000 |
est. 1,000 |
1862 |
28,075,000 |
est. 550 |
1863 |
49,840,000 |
est. 460 |
1864 CN |
13,740,000 |
est. 370 |
COPPER, WITH SHIELD ON REVERSE (1864-1909)
Date |
Mintage for Circulation |
Mintage of Proofs |
1864 Br. |
39,233,714 |
est. 150 |
1864-L |
est. 20 |
1865 |
35,429,286 |
est. 500 |
1866 |
9,286,500 |
est. 725 |
1867 |
9,821,000 |
est. 625 |
1868 |
10,266,500 |
est. 600 |
1869 |
6,420,000 |
est. 600 |
1870 |
5,275,000 |
est. 1,000 |
1871 |
3,929,500 |
est. 960 |
1872 |
4,042,000 |
est. 950 |
1873 |
11,676,500 |
est. 1,100 |
1874 |
14,187,500 |
est. 700 |
1875 |
13,528,000 |
est. 700 |
1876 |
7,944,000 |
est. 1,150 |
1877 |
852,500 |
est. 510 |
1878 |
5,797,500 |
2,350 |
1879 |
16,228,000 |
3,200 |
1880 |
38,961,000 |
3,955 |
1881 |
39,208,000 |
3,575 |
1882 |
38,578,000 |
3,100 |
1883 |
45,591,500 |
6,609 |
1884 |
23,257,800 |
3,942 |
1885 |
11,761,594 |
3,790 |
1886 |
17,650,000 |
4,290 |
1887 |
45,223,523 |
2,960 |
1888 |
37,489,832 |
4,582 |
1889 |
48,866,025 |
3,336 |
1890 |
57,180,114 |
2,740 |
1891 |
47,070,000 |
2,350 |
1892 |
37,647,087 |
2,745 |
1893 |
46,640,000 |
2,195 |
1894 |
16,749,500 |
2,632 |
1895 |
38,341,474 |
2,062 |
1896 |
39,055,431 |
1,862 |
1897 |
50,464,392 |
1,938 |
1898 |
49,821,284 |
1,795 |
1899 |
53,598,000 |
2,031 |
1900 |
66,831,502 |
2,262 |
1901 |
79,609,158 |
1,985 |
1902 |
87,374,704 |
2,018 |
1903 |
85,092,703 |
1,790 |
1904 |
61,326,198 |
1,817 |
1905 |
80,717,011 |
2,152 |
1906 |
96,020,530 |
1,725 |
1907 |
108,137,143 |
1,475 |
1908 |
32,326,367 |
1,620 |
1908-S |
1,115,000 |
0 |
1909 |
14,368,470 |
2,175 |
1909-S |
309,000 |
0 |