DEFINITIVE REFERENCE FOR INDIAN CENT DIE VARIETIES


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1864 Copper Nickel

Mintage:  13,740,000

Proofs:  370

Comments:  1864 has the second lowest stated mintage for copper nickel indian cents.  Finding examples in a desired grade should be easy, but finding quality pieces is a different matter.  Excessive die wear has rendered many for this year unattractive.  I have encountered many XF45 examples that show LIBERTY weak from worn dies.  Although the coins have full diamond detail on the hair ribbon and technically grade XF45, they must be discounted to VF price levels because collectors demand detail  in the XF-XF45 level, and rightly so.  Premiums exist on this date due to additonal demand from civil war memorabilia collectors and stated mintage.  Regardless of grade, find attractive examples with an emphasis on strike.

The best die variety for the year is variety 2, which comes with varying degrees of die rotation.  Many coins of this date will have what appears to be repunching to the south at the crossbar of the 4 in the date.  This is not actual repunching, but an artifact from the date punch.  This artifact has been pictured on the web pages for variety 3 and variety 4.

Rarity Estimates for 1864 Copper Nickel Varieties

Emission Sequence of 1864 Copper Nickel Obverses and Reverses

Return to Date and Die Variety Analysis


*Click on variety number to proceed to that die variety page*
Top  100 Variety Number Obv Rev Date Position Obverse / Reverse Attributes Cross Reference
Proof 1 1 A RE Proof Dies / Proof Dies Snow PR1
1 2 B C Repunching On 1 To The South and 86 To The West Snow 1
2
3 C C Repunching On The 64 to the South Snow 2
3 4 D RH Repunching On The 4 to the South, Defective Digit Punch, Snow Obverse 5 / Heavy Die Cracks From 8:30-9:30, Snow Reverse E Snow 3
4 5 E B Repunching On The 4 To The West, Defective Digit Punch, Snow Obverse 6 / Heavy Die Crack From 3:00-5:30, Snow Reverse F Snow 4
5 6 F B Heavy Die File Marks Around Ear / Die Cracks From 1:00, 2:30, 2:45, 3:45, 7:30, 8:00, 9:15 and 10:45; Rev. F.2:  Rim Breaks Between 5:00 and 7:00 Snow 5a, ODD-001
6 7 G RH Heavy Die File Marks By Ear, Slight Downward Slope Of Date, Snow Obverse 8 / Snow Reverse AS Snow 5b
7 22 AT LH Date Slightly Right Of Center / Heavy Die Crack From 8:00-9:30, Die Crack at 11:30 and 3:30
8 23 AU C Date Approximately Center With Upward Slope / Die Crack at 11:30
9 6.2 AAB B Heavy Die File Marks By Ear / Heavy Die Crack From 9:15 to 10:45 ODD-001
10 33 AAJ LH Reverse Cud Between 11:30 and 12:30
11 34 AAK C Reverse Cud Between 2:30 and 4:00, Die Cracks From 5:00 and 7:00
12 35 AAL B Repunched 64 to the Northwest / Die Cracks From 2:30, Between 3:15 and 5:00 and 10:45; Rev. AAL.2 Retained Cud Between 3:15 and 5:00 Snow 7
13 36 AAM ? Reverse Retained Cud Between 3:00 and 3:30
14 38 AAO RE Heavy Reverse Die Cracking Between 9:30 and 11:00; Artifact From Lower Left Side Of Shield; Rev. AO.2:  Reverse Cud Between 9:30 and 11:00
15 42 AAV B Reverse Partial Cud Between 7:00 and 8:00, Moderately Heavy Die Crack From 5:45
16 43 AAW LH Reverse Severre Die Crack Between 2:30 and 4:30, Die Cracks From 4:15 and 8:00; Rev. AAW.2:  Die Break Below Lowest Arrowhead CUD-001
17 44 AAY LH Reverse Severe Die Crack Between 11:15 and 12:45
18 45 AAZ C Reverse Severe Die Crack Between 2:00 and 3:45
19 46 AAAA C Reverse Crack Between 10:45 and 12:45, Die Breaks Below Crossbar Of E Of ONE and Under The Right Arm Of T OF CENT; Rev. AAAA.2:  Reverse Retained Cud Between 10:45 and 12:45
20 54 AAAK B Reverse Cud Between 11:15 and 12:30
21 57 AAAP B Repunched Date:  Initial Date Impressions To The North Within The Lower Loop Of The 8; To The North and West Within  The Lower Loop Of The 6; To The West From The Base Of The 4; Rim Breakage Between 11:00 and 12:15 / Die Cracks From 1:00 and 4:15 Snow 9
2259AAARLHReverse Retained Cud Between 10:00 and 10:45
2360AAASLHRim Break Between 2:45 and 3:00, Die Crack From 10:15 / Rim Break Between 2:30 and 3:30, Die Crack From 3:15
2464AAAYLERepunched Date:  Initial Date Impressions Located To The Northwest At Either Side Of The Diagonal Of The 4 Digit; Digit Punch Artifact Located Above The Left Base Of The 4 Digit; Repaired Tops Of 'STA(TE)S' / Cracked Die:  Die Crack From 8:30 and Die Crack Segment Located Within Upper Left Wreath

Rarity Estimates for 1864 Copper Nickel Varieties

Variety Rarity
Proof 1 URS-10
5 URS-9
5a URS-7
10 URS-6
11 URS-6
12 URS-7
12a URS-6
13 URS-6
14 URS-7
14a URS-6
15 URS-7
16 and 16a URS-7
17 URS-7
18 URS-7
19 URS-7
19a URS-6
20 URS-6
21 URS-8
22URS-6
23URS-(7-)
24URS-9

Emission Sequence For 1864 Copper Nickel Obverses and Reverses

Obverses / Reverses Die Pairings
Obverse 6 P-5  P-9

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