W. I. Indianhead Cents
1878
View Image Gallery >
Coin Details
Origin/Country: |
United States |
Design Description: |
CENTS - INDIAN HEAD |
Item Description: |
1C 1878 |
Full Grade: |
NGC MS 64 BN |
Owner: |
Whidbey Island Collection |
Owner Comments:
In the early 1960's I was serving on a U. S. aircraft carrier in the Pacific. During a port call in Yokosuka Japan, I visited a small coin shop on "Thieves Alley" to buy some examples of old Japanese coinage. The owner had a dish on the counter which contained small copper coins from various countries, all priced at 50 yen (about 15 cents at that time). Among the coins I noticed a single very nice 1878 Indianhead cent. I purchased the coin and many years later sent it in to PCGS to have it slabbed. It came back graded MS-63 brown. I thought it might have enough color to get a red/brown grade so I broke it out and sent it in to NGC. It came back still only brown, but with an MS-64 grade. I often wondered how did an uncirculated 1878 Indianhead end up in Japan?
Back in 1878, Admiral Perry led the "Great White Fleet" across the Pacific and against Japan's wishes, made port calls in Japan. I wonder if one of the sailors carried this cent with him and either spent it or gave it to someone as a goodwill gift. At any rate, that coin was the best bargain I have ever found.