1856 Flying Eagle a favorite

Forget about the 1804 dollar, the 1894-S dime, and the 1913 Liberty Head nickel. The same goes for 1884 and 1885 Trade dollars. Despite their rarity and value, there was a time when one coin topped them all in popularity—the 1856 Flying Eagle cent.

Back in 1908, the Washington Post described the 1856 Flying Eagle cent as this country’s traditional rare coin. Everybody had heard of it and knew it was rare, and collectors were willing to pay a high premium for an 1856 Flying Eagle cent, despite its large mintage for a pattern. How many 1856 Flying Eagles were struck? No one knows for sure. Mint Director James Snowden said it was “impossible to state the number coined.” Some collectors guessed it was fewer than 1,000. Others thought it was closer to 10,000. Today most estimates put it at 750 mint-state examples and 1,500 proofs.

The survival rate for 1856 Flying Eagle cents is high, an indication of the respect they have commanded for a century and a half. They were the first small cents, and nearly everyone seemed to appreciate their historical significance. Although some examples eventually wound up in circulation, heavily worn 1856 Flying Eagle cents seldom turn up on dealers’ price lists.

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