James B. Longacre
Videos
Page
James Barton Longacre was an American portraitist and engraver, and the fourth chief engraver of the United States Mint from 1844 until his death. Longacre is best known for designing the Indian Head cent, which entered commerce in 1859, and for the designs of the Shield nickel, Flying Eagle cent and other coins of the mid-19th century.
Portrait by Isaac Rehn, 1855
James Longacre, self-portrait at about age 12
Senator John C. Calhoun, as rendered by Longacre in 1834
John Binns' version of the Declaration of Independence with portraits by Longacre, 1819
Indian Head cent
Videos
Page
The Indian Head cent, also known as an Indian Head penny, was a one-cent coin ($0.01) produced by the United States Bureau of the Mint from 1859 to 1909. It was designed by James Barton Longacre, the Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia Mint.
Image: NNC US 1859 1C Indian Head Cent (wreath)
Image: NNC US 1859 1C Indian Head Cent (wreath)
Image: NNC US 1860 1C Indian Head Cent (wreath & shield)
A Spanish colonial two-reales piece ("two bits") from the Potosà Mint (today in Bolivia)