Lot 221
1909-S Indian Head Cent. MS-63 Red and Brown. This is the lowest mintage date of the Indian cent series, only 309,000 were struck before production was halted and converted over to the new Lincoln cent design by Victor D. Brenner in August of that year. The strike has the usual and customary San Francisco weakness for the issue, but the color is pleasant and even, without the wood-grain pattern that is often seen on this date. 1909 curiously brought to a close the rendition of Liberty as an Indian chief on the cent, curious in that Liberty as an Indian was all the rage in gold production starting in 1907, and moving into the Buffalo nickel series in 1913 by James E. Fraser with his composite portrait of three aged Native American chiefs, Iron Tail, Two Moons and John Big Tree. Today the Native American theme has been resurrected once again, this time on the new Sacagewea dollar coin, which replaces the dismal non-circulating failure of the Susan B. Anthony dollar. Perhaps the public will take to this new coin with unbridled excitement and the dollar bill can finally be replaced--just kidding.
|
| |
| Realized $403 |
