Baptist Fundamentals

Flying Eagle Cent Value

Written by bmlengel on July 31st, 2010

1856 marked an auspicious year within the history of the US Mint. From the very starting, one cent pieces had been a staple of United States coins. Everyone knew their look and their feel. Everybody was snug with the coin, till 1856.

Since the beginning of US coinage, the face of the one cent piece had featured a depiction of the goddess Liberty. Admittedly, there had been several different depictions of Liberty, with each offering its coin with an attention-grabbing name. Flowing Hair Cents were produced by the US Mint from 1793 by way of 1796, once they had been replaced by Draped Bust Cents. The Basic Head Cent design was the design produced from 1808 by way of 1814 when it was changed by the Coronet Head Cent. Finally, the Braided Hair Cent took middle stage in 1839. It was also referred to as the “Foolish Head” or the “Booby Head” Cent. The Braided Hair Cent was produced by means of 1857.

People began to object to carrying around these coins. Some individuals said the cash have been too giant, with a diameter of 27.5 millimeters (merchants complained that the cash “clogged up” their tills). There have been complaints that the coins were too heavy, weighing in at a hefty 10.89 grams. The general public gave the impression to be ready for a change in its pennies.

In 1856 the US Mint began producing a smaller, lighter one cent coin. The Flying Eagle Cent was the first of what collectors now discuss with as “Small Cents” (weighing 4.7 grams with a diameter of 19 millimeters) contrasted with the one cent coins heretofore produced being dubbed “Massive Cents.”

The public didn’t like the coin. The Flying Eagle Cent did not encompass pure copper, as had all one previous one cent coins. It was 88% copper and 12% nickel. The lighter coloration caused the general public to derogatorily check with the new cent because the “white cent.” Folks weren’t pleased with the design either. Though design on the obverse (or face) of James Barton Lengthy acre’s coin depicts an Eagle in Flight, folks sometimes referred to the coin because the “Buzzard Cent.”

Officials on the US Mint had been embarrassed. They rapidly made plans to revamp the coin. Longacre was commissioned to provide the new design. The Eagle was removed, and Liberty returned to the front of the one cent coin, this time carrying a Native American headdress. The Indian Head Cent stays one of the crucial fashionable cash ever produced by the US Mint, while the Flying Eagle Cent took its place among the many cash with the briefest mintage in US history…just [two] years (1857-1858).

Incidentally, in the event you happen to find a Flying Eagle Cent bearing the date 1856, you’d be well-suggested to take the coin to an skilled to have it evaluated. The 1856 coins have been only produced as examples to be presented to Congress and other officials to encourage them to assist the coin’s acceptance. As soon as the vote was taken, legislators have been purported to return the coins to the US Treasury. The cash were supposed to be destroyed, and minting of the Flying Eagle Cent to start in 1857.

Somehow, not all the cash made their manner back to the Mint. Evidently a few of them have been kept as souvenirs by numerous people. The coins’ rarity prompted their collector’s value to soar. Now, even probably the most mediocre specimens of the 1856 Flying Eagle Cent promote for in extra of $5,000, with the nicest of those coins expected to bring well in excess of $100,000. (The Professional Coin Grading Service lists the value of the best grade Flying Eagles they’ve certified as $one hundred fifty,000.) Evidently, counterfeiters have taken word of these numbers and have taken steps to attempt to defraud folks by producing and promoting fakes.

So a set of Flying Eagle Cents consists of three coins . . . the 1857, and [two] varieties (Large Letters and Small Letters) of the 1858. You should purchase engaging specimens of all three cash for a complete of less than $200.

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