Ron Guth
The 1905 Indian Head Cent is a very common coin and it is generally available in just about any condition a collector might want. Thousands are available in Mint State, but there are other dates that are even more common. The most plentiful color format is Red-Brown but this is because Brown examples are not worth having graded in most cases. On the other hand, Red examples are twice as rare (or less common) as Red-Brown examples, but they tend to come nicer. As common as this date is, there are very few Superb examples, most of which are full red.
When choosing examples of this date for your collection, choose examples that have smooth (rather than pebbly) surfaces and look for fully struck details, Fortunately, this date is inexpensive in most grades, so collectors can wait for just the right coin.
