1863 USA Cent G-VG (G6)

1863 USA 1-cent G-VG (G-6)

The 1863 USA 1-cent was minted during the height of the Civil War and was struck during the last year the 1-cent was composed of copper-nickel. Due to a severe shortage of government-issued coins, including the 1-cent coin, citizens and merchants minted and distributed their own tokens to be used as small change. Government officials saw that the public accepted the merchant tokens, of which many were made of bronze, and in 1863, the Government attempted to restore coins to circulation. Mint director James Pollock proposed to Treasury Secretary Salmon P. Chase that the copper-nickel cent be replaced with a bronze piece, therefore making 1863 one of the last years where a USA 1-cent coin was composed of copper-nickel.  
 
Obverse: Liberty head wearing an Indian headdress and the date below  
Reverse: Shield at the top, face value in the middle and knot tying the wreath holding arrows  
 
Specifications:  
Composition: Copper-Nickel (.880 Copper, .120 Nickel)  
Engraver: James Barton Longacre  
Weight: 4.67 g  
Diameter: 19 mm  
Edge Plain  
Die Axis:  ↑↓ 
Mint: United States Mint of Philadelphia 
Mintage: 49 840 000