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FLYING EAGLE PENNIES, FLYING EAGLE VALUES, HISTORY AND MORE 1856-1858

Updated on August 27, 2013

Flying Eagle Cent Coins

Flying Eagle cent coins are extremely rare and the 1856 Flying Eagle cent is worth thousands.
Flying Eagle cent coins are extremely rare and the 1856 Flying Eagle cent is worth thousands.

Flying Eagle Cent


The Flying Eagle cent is very popular and some Flying Eagle cents are very valuable. When it comes to highly collected coins, the Flying Eagle series is very popular among collectors of all sorts. The Flying Eagle series was only produced from 1856 to 1858, one of the shortest produced coin series in American history. The Flying Eagle cent was designed by James B. Longacre. Mr. Longacre was the Mint Chief Engraver during this period.

The Flying Eagle cent design was inspired by gold coins designed by Christian Gobrecht. The front of the Flying Eagle cent portrays a flying eagle. The top rim on the obverse of the Flying Eagle cent contains "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA." The date on the Flying Eagle cent is centered on the bottom front of the coin. The reverse of the Flying Eagle cent portrays "ONE CENT" centered on the back of the coin. A wreathe is seen surrounding the "ONE CENT" stamp.

The Flying Eagle cent is made out of 88% copper and 12% nickel. The Flying Eagle cent has a weight of 4.67 grams. It is very important to have the proper weight because rare coins such as these are often counterfeited. The Flying Eagle cent has a 19mm diameter with a plain edge. If you are worried that your Flying Eagle cent is not real, you can use these measurements to find out. This is a great tool to use anytime that you are buying coins.

FLYING EAGLE PRODUCTION

DATE
PRODUCED
 
1856
LESS THEN 2,000
 
1857
17,450,000
 
1858
24,600,000
 

LARGE CENT

The large cent was replaced by the Flying Eagle cent in 1857. The large cent above is known as the Coronet Head large cent.
The large cent was replaced by the Flying Eagle cent in 1857. The large cent above is known as the Coronet Head large cent.

The Large Cent


The Flying Eagle cent holds a special place in Mint history for a variety of different reasons. Most noticeably, the Flying Eagle cent was the first small cent coin produced by the United States Mint. Before the Flying Eagle cent was produced, the large cent was the only one cent coin produced. The large cent was first produced in 1793, which was the first one cent coin series ever produced. The large cent coins made out of pure copper.

As copper prices began to climb, the United States Mint came to the conclusion that making the large cent was no longer profitable. In fact, the Mint was actually losing money because of the higher price of copper. The large cent was nearly the same size as a fifty cent coin. The large cent was also unpopular to the general public. Due to this, Congress passed the Coinage Act of February 21, 1857. The new law ended the reign of the large cent and the Flying Eagle cent was produced. The large cent was produced from 1793-1857. 1815 was the only year that the large cent was not produced due too a shortage in copper.

1856 FLYING EAGLE CENT

The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is highly collectible and valued. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent above is in great condition and possibly worth $100,000 or more.
The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is highly collectible and valued. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent above is in great condition and possibly worth $100,000 or more.

1856 Flying Eagle Cent


The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is the most prized coin in this series. Less then 2,000 1856 Flying Eagle cents are known to exist. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is very rare and highly valued. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent was not mass produced nor given to the general public. They were only given to members of the United States Government and other important figures. Prime examples of the 1856 Flying Eagle cent have sold for over $100,000.

1858 FLYING EAGLE CENT

This is a great example of a worn 1858 Flying Eagle cent. This is very close to what most Flying Eagle cents look like due to their high circulation.
This is a great example of a worn 1858 Flying Eagle cent. This is very close to what most Flying Eagle cents look like due to their high circulation.

Flying Eagle Cent Values


Flying Eagle cent values are upwards of thousands of dollars. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is very valuable. As you now know, the 1856 Flying Eagle cent has the most value in this short series. However, the 1857 and 1858 Flying Eagle cent hold value as well. Most Flying Eagle cent coins were heavily circulated and many examples are very worn. Even in worn condition, the 1857 Flying Eagle cent is worth nearly $18. The 1858 Flying Eagle cent is worth a little less in worn condition at $16. The 1856 Flying Eagle cent is worth over $4,000 in worn condition or G-4 grade.

The value of your Flying Eagle cent depends on the condition of your coin. The better your coin looks, the more it is worth. The 1857 Flying Eagle cent is worth $300 in uncirculated condition and the 1858 is worth nearly $290. However, it is always best to have your coin checked or appraised by a coin professional and someone you trust.

The Flying Eagle series had a lot of issues with production. Die and striking issues were the cause of the United States Mint choosing too halt production in 1858. However, some special Flying Eagle cents were created due to these issues. There are three well known error coins in the Flying Eagle cent series. The 1858/7 Flying Eagle is the most valuable of the three coins. 1858 Flying Eagle cents were copied over coins that were dated for 1857. Make sure you pay close attention to the "8" in the date and see if you can see a "7." In worn condition, this Flying Eagle cent is worth nearly $80. In uncirculated condition, this Flying Eagle cent can be worth $1,000 or more.

There are two examples of the 1858 Flying Eagle known as the large letter cent and the small letter cent. You need too pay attention to the word "AMERICA" on the reverse of the coin. The large letter type has the "A" and "M" joined together. The small letter type has a separated "A" and "M" in the word "AMERICA." Both of these coins are worth nearly $30 in worn condition and worth hundreds if uncirculated.



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