1864 Indian Cent. Bronze. L on Ribbon. MS-65+ RD (PCGS). CAC.

1864 Indian Cent. Bronze. L on Ribbon. MS-65+ RD (PCGS). CAC.，Remarkable Gem full Red quality for this popular and conditionally challenging issue from the first year of bronze cent production. Sharply defined even down to the tips of the feathers in Libertys headdress, smooth satin luster and vivid golden-orange color are also praiseworthy attributes. The L on Ribbon represents a redesign of the basic Indian cent motif by James Barton Longacre, who added his initial L to the lower ribbon between the last feather in the headdress and the adjacent hair curl. Numismatic scholars do not know either when the L on Ribbon type was placed into production or exactly how many pieces were produced. The total circulation strike mintage of 1864 bronze cents is 39,233,714 pieces, with Rick Snow (<em>A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents</em>, 2006) providing an estimated mintage of 5 million coins for this variety given the scarcity of examples relative to those of its No L counterpart. With most survivors well worn and the typical Uncirculated example grading no finer than MS-64 RB, this wholly lustrous Gem represents a fleeting bidding opportunity for the quality conscious Indian cent enthusiast.，，