1909 Proof

The 1909 proof Indian Head cent is the final proof of the series. The Mint struck approximately 2,175 proofs in what would be the last year of Indian Head production. The proof represents fifty years of continuous proof output for the design (proofs were struck every year from 1859 through 1909) and serves as the capstone of the proof Indian Head set.

As a final-year proof, the 1909 draws interest from both proof Indian Head collectors and terminal-issue collectors. The coin shows Longacre's design in its most refined form, struck with half a century of accumulated die-making experience. The bronze proof finish is rich and warm, with color ranging from original red through brown depending on storage conditions. A gem 1909 proof with significant original red is among the most visually striking coins in the Indian Head series.

The proof set that included the 1909 Indian Head cent also included the 1909 Lincoln cent, making it a transition-year set that documented the changeover between two of America's most iconic coin designs. Collectors who preserved the complete 1909 proof set unwittingly held the end of one era and the beginning of another in the same leather case.