1858 Flying Eagle Cent ( small letters)

Description

The 1858 Flying Eagle cent is a rare and historically significant coin in U.S. numismatics. Here’s a breakdown of its key features:

1. Design: The coin features a flying eagle on the obverse, with its wings spread in flight. The reverse side shows a wreath and the denomination “One Cent” at the center. The design was created by James B. Longacre, who was also the chief engraver of the U.S. Mint at the time.
2. Composition: The 1858 Flying Eagle cent was made of a copper-nickel alloy, composed of 88% copper and 12% nickel, making it different from the pure copper pennies that preceded it.
3. Minting History: It was part of a new series of coins intended to replace the large copper cents that were in circulation before 1857. The Flying Eagle cent was only produced from 1856 to 1858, making it relatively short-lived.
4. Rarity and Value: The 1858 Flying Eagle cent is particularly valuable due to its limited mintage and the fact that many were melted down. Coins in good condition, especially uncirculated ones, can fetch high prices. Some of these coins are worth thousands of dollars, with mint state examples often going for tens of thousands, depending on their condition.
5. Varieties: There are a few varieties of the 1858 Flying Eagle cent, such as the “Large Letters” and “Small Letters” varieties, which differ in the size of the letters on the reverse side.
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