Anything from the Civil War period is great. Just think of who may have had that coin in their pocket.
So your 1863, what is that on the shield?? Can we get a closer pic? It’s it interesting that it’s call an INDIAN head when the obverse is actually not a Native American? If there a Indian head that you cannot read the date you can tell be the last feather on the head dressing about what variety it is.. if the feather is pointing between I and C, it’s 1859-1886 and pointing between C and A, 1886-1909. Sorry been studying red book!
Not really, and the headdress has just a little something to do with the moniker. Believe it or not identity politics wasn't the nation's primary concern for the vast majority of its existence.
@Shrews1994, did you know, after the War, they referred to these as "nicks?" That was to differentiate them from the bronze ones that were coming out and replacing them. You were gifted an 1863 Nick that obviously did everything it was supposed to do, it worked hard in the economy. It's time to give it a good rest, it deserves it.
It's difficult to tell from the image on the Indian Head Cent who the model for this coin was, but after digging through the archives I found a rare frontal photograph of the model. Read the rules !