The Indian Cent series spanned a half century, from 1859 through 1909, and produced a litany of keys, semi-keys, varieties, and “tough” issues. The 1901 Indian Cent isn’t necessarily counted among any of those series highlights, for it’s a highly common date and can be easily obtained in grades up through at least MS64.
Boasting a mintage of 79,609,158 pieces, the 1901 Indian Cent is certainly not a coin whose importance as a numismatic collectible is widely advertised in neon lights. But it’s in the ordinary that this coin claims something extraordinary: its significance not just to the date-and-mintmark series collectors who need this coin to complete their sets, but also its critical claim of prominence to type set collectors who seek this coin out for symbolic purposes.
One of the most popular type sets built by collectors these days is the 20th-century type set, an assemblage of coins that need not necessarily contain gold or commemorative issues. A typical 20th-century type set contains at least one example of each major design type struck by the United States Mint during the 20th century.
But what constitutes the chronological parameters of the 20th century? Many would say it was the passage of the years 1900 through 1999, inclusive. But there’s a subset of collectors who consider that, since there was no “Year 0,” each new decade – and century – thus must start with a year ending in “1.” This would mean that such collectors who pursue a 20th-century set would therefore seek coins struck between 1901 and 2000.
And that’s where the 1901 Indian Cent comes to the fore. It’s the safe bet for collectors who build 20th-century sets, whether they believe the previous century began on January 1, 1900, or January 1, 1901.
What’s more, the 1901 Indian Cent offers plenty of specimens for collectors to purchase an example suitable for their budget and numismatic palette. Well-worn examples can be bought for as little as $1 or $2. However, really nice 1901 Indian Cents are available for collectors who want to ante up enough cash. An MS63BN can be had for about $100, while an MS65RB goes for closer to $300. Those who want a primo piece can opt for an MS66RD, which costs around $1,450. The record price was hammered on a PCGS MS67+RD example that sold at auction in 2021 for an astounding $33,600.