Flying Eagle Cent
The Flying Eagle Cent was the first small cent, which was actually minted starting in 1856, to have specimens ready for display to members of Congress. Thus, it is technically a pattern coin, since the law establishing the new small cent was enacted in 1857. NGC's Coin Price Guide for Flying Eagle Cents (1856-1858). Richard Giedroyc: Small Cent collecting is enjoyed by perhaps more coin collectors than any other field of coins other than Morgan silver dollars. Most are easy to find and, with the exception of some key dates, values are generally modest. Small Cents begin with the Flying Eagle Cents of 1856 to 1858, a short but surprisingly challenging series. Flying eagle USA one cent values. What is a US flying eagle one cent coin worth? (1856 to 1858) Values, specifications, and images for flying eagle penny coins from the United States of America.
Flying Eagle Penny
Minted at: Philadelphia (No Mint Mark)
Metal Composition: 88% Copper - 12% Nickel
Mass / Weight: 4.67 grams
What This Coin Looks Like (Obverse, Reverse, Mint Mark Location, Special Features, etc.):
The coin in the image above is an 1858 'large letters' variety.
There were two major varieties of the 1858 Flying Eagle Cent (Penny). One variety had small letters while the other had larger letters on the obverse of the coin regarding the words 'UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'. The best way to indentify the variety is to notice that the 'small letters' variety has a large space between the first two letters 'A' and 'M' in the word America. The large letters variety has almost no space and the two letters are almost touching. This is depicted in the example image below of the 1858 small letters vs large letters flying eagle cent:
| Good (G-4) | Very Good (VG-8) | Fine (F-12) | Very Fine (VF-20) | Extremely Fine (EF-40) | About Uncirculated (AU-50) | Uncirculated (MS-60) | Uncirculated (MS-63) | Proof (PR-63) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $29 | $37 | $49 | $63 | $161 | $216 | $406 | $978 | $9,201 |
USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1858 Flying Eagle Penny (Large Letters Variety) is Worth $37 in Average Condition and can be Worth $406 to $978 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. Proof Coins can be Worth $9,201 or more. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts. Also, click here to Learn About Grading Coins. The Melt Value shown below is how Valuable the Coin's Metal is Worth (bare minimum value of coin). Click here to see the Melt Value of every US Coin.
MELT VALUE: $0.0361Even More Flying Eagle Cent Penny Years/Mints/Varieties
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Sample catalog image for Flying Eagle Cents
GREYSHEET & CPG® PRICE GUIDEU.S. Coin Values: Small Cents
Silver: $27.10 $0.04
Palladium: $2307.25 $10.28
Silver: $27.10 $0.04
Palladium: $2307.25 $10.28
How much are my U.S. Flying Eagle Cents worth?About Flying Eagle Cents
America's first small-cent was the Flying Eagle cent, which was originally struck in 1856 as a pattern and was produced for mass circulation in 1857 and 1858. The change came after the United States Mint began experimenting with new pattern cents in the mid 1850s due to increased costs of producing the large cent. The Flying Eagle cent was designed by United States Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre and is an adaption of the Christian Gobrecht pattern silver dollars struck in the mid 1830s.
Approximately 1,800 Flying Eagle cents were struck with the 1856 date for use as presentation pieces, and possibly some were made at a later point to satisfy the demands of collectors who wanted examples of the coin. The Flying Eagle cent was officially unveiled for circulation on May 25, 1857, which was during the period that the United States government was demonetizing foreign coinage that was still circulating throughout the nation as legal tender. The Flying Eagle cent is made from a composition of 88% copper, 12% nickel, and were widely dubbed 'nicks.' Though the Flying Eagle cent was in regular production for just two years, more than 40 million were struck and became quite popular with the public.
For a coin that was produced for only two years (three when counting the popularly collected 1856 presentation piece, which did see limited circulation) at just the Philadelphia Mint, there are a surprising number of issues and varieties. These include the 1856 and 1857 regular issues, 1858 Large or Small Letters varieties, 1858/7 overdates, and proof specimens from 1856 and 1857, as well as proof variants of each the 1858 Small and Large Letters. While the Flying Eagle cent is widely collected as an extension of the Indian Head cent series, Flying Eagle pennies offer enough complexity as a standalone series to provide plenty of challenge to anyone desiring to focus solely on collecting and studying this first incarnation of the small cent.
Flying Eagle Cent 1858
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