Please don't assume that because a coin is old it has to be made of silver. All buffalo nickels were struck in the same alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper that's used for modern nickels.
Unfortunately buffalo nickels had a design problem that caused their dates to wear off quickly in circulation. These coins are called culls and sell for 10 to 25 cents as curiosities. Some people like to use them when making jewelry, belts, pendants, paperweights, etc.
No Indian Head cent was ever struck in silver.
The coins are called Indian head or Buffalo Nickels and dates and mint marks are needed for a assessment of the coin, please post new question.
This is not a US Mint issue coin it's a novelty coin of some type. It could have value if it's made from silver. Look for the marking of .999 fine silver on the coin. If you find it, it's made of silver and does have some value.
Five-Cent Indian Head
None, the first Indian Head design was the 1854 Indian Head one dollar gold coin, the 1859 Indian Head cent was next, then the 1908 $10.00 gold eagle and the last was the 1913 Indian Head (or Buffalo) nickel. The design has never been used on a silver US coin.
No Indian Head cent was ever struck in silver.
Perhaps you mean the buffalo nickel, because Abraham Lincoln has been on the cent since 1909.
The coins are called Indian head or Buffalo Nickels and dates and mint marks are needed for a assessment of the coin, please post new question.
This is not a US Mint issue coin it's a novelty coin of some type. It could have value if it's made from silver. Look for the marking of .999 fine silver on the coin. If you find it, it's made of silver and does have some value.
Five-Cent Indian Head
A silver Indian Head one cent coin from 1862 does not exist. The coin was made of bronze, not silver, and featured a depiction of Liberty wearing a Native American headdress on the obverse side, and a wreath on the reverse side.
25 cent
None, the first Indian Head design was the 1854 Indian Head one dollar gold coin, the 1859 Indian Head cent was next, then the 1908 $10.00 gold eagle and the last was the 1913 Indian Head (or Buffalo) nickel. The design has never been used on a silver US coin.
All Indian Head (also called Buffalo) 5 cent coins have the letter F on them. It is the initial of the engraver. The letter F has no bearing on value. Value of coins is determined by condition, date, mint mark and rarity.
For Buffalo nickels the 1936 Philadelphia issue (no mintmark) is the highest mintage of all. Most coins show heavy to medium wear and are value at $1.00-$3.00 retail.
Assuming you mean Indian Head cent 1887 retail value is $6.00
Five to ten years for counterfieting. Do you mean Buffalo Nickels (aka Indian Head Nickels)? Common dates with significant wear are worth about 25 cents apiece. Scarce dates in Mint State condition may be worth several thousand dollars.