The Indian Cent was in production from 1859 through 1909 and was an enduring coin that spanned generations. It remains popular among collectors even today and is one of the few 19th-century U.S. coin series that is still widely collected by date and mintmark. Every date in the series offers something intriguing for collectors, but the 1901 is of special interest here. Why? Because it’s the first date in the series that, by any chronological metric, was officially produced during the 20th century; some would argue the 1900 Indian Cent was minted during the last year of the 19th century – but that’s a topic for a different article!
This makes the 1901 Indian Cent a favorite get for type set collectors, particularly those assembling the ever-popular 20th-century type set – a staple among collectors for decades now. The 1901 Indian Cent is a common date to be sure. The Philadelphia Mint churned out 79,609,158 strikes, which is right about average for the mintages seen during the last decade or so of the Indian Cent series. And even uncirculated examples aren’t all that difficult to land, at least among those graded with the BN and RB designations.
But make no mistake, the 1901 Indian Cent is a valuable collectible by every measure. Circulated specimens are widely attractive to younger collectors and those of any age who are on a budget. A nice higher-end circulated or lower-end uncirculated example makes a terrific addition to any date-and-mintmark set or a type set. And PCGS Set Registry members have a smorgasbord of challenging opportunities when they want to add an exemplary RD specimen to their collections.
The 1901 Indian Cent is decidedly scarce in MS64RD or MS65RD. In grades above that, the coin is downright rare. As of October 2024, PCGS has graded fewer than 150 grading MS66RD or higher. The lofty rank of MS67+RD marks the highest-known grade for the 1901 Indian Cent, for which just two PCGS-graded specimens are known. The all-time record price for a 1901 Indian Cent is $33,600, hammered for one of those two MS67+RD specimens in a 2021 Heritage Auctions sale.