Classic Coins of America

Collectors are always in search of classic coins that evoke the “good old days” – and this collection includes three famous and hard-to-find coins from by-gone eras: the Indian Head Penny, Liberty “V” Nickel, and Buffalo Nickel.
These three coins have been out of circulation for generations, making them exceptionally scarce and adding to their tremendous collector value.
The Indian Head Penny was minted from 1859-1909. It depicts an Indian princess in a war bonnet and was one of the first U.S. coins to feature a Native American. According to legend, designer James B. Longacre actually used a portrait of his daughter, Sarah, wearing an Indian headdress. All coins are now at least 113 years old.
The Liberty Head Nickel is also known as the “V” Nickel because of the “V” (Roman “5”) on the reverse. It was first minted in 1883 and was one of the most popular coins of the late 19th century. When the first coins were minted, they did not include the word “Cents.” They are about the same size as a $5 gold coin, so con-men gold-plated the Nickels and used them as $5 gold coins! The annual mintage was only about 2% of a modern Nickel’s production.
The Buffalo Nickel was struck from 1913 to 1938. It was a celebration of the vanishing American West. Designed by sculptor James Earle Fraser, it was minted only from 1913-1938. The front of the coin depicts a composite portrait of three chiefs: Iron Tail (a Sioux who fought against Custer at Little Bighorn and who was a star in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show), Two Moons (a Cheyenne who also fought at Little Bighorn), and John Big Tree (a Seneca). The back features a stunning buffalo.
It would be virtually impossible to put together a collection like this on your own. The coins have been unavailable in circulation for over 100 years – and even the most recent coin was last minted over 85 years ago. Only a few coins remain today, and most are safely in the hands of collectors, who rarely agree to part with them.