Flying Eagle Cent
The Flying Eagle Cent is an American currency coin for one cent that was minted between 1856 and 1858. The coin designed by James Barton Longacre shows a flying bald eagle . It is the first one-cent piece in a reduced format and the only circulation coin in the USA that shows a flying eagle on the obverse.
In 1856 about 750 sample copies were minted for influential congressmen and senators. These pieces quickly became very popular and traded at high prices. Thereupon 1500 pieces were re-embossed in proof (English: polished plate ). In 1857 and 1858 the coin was produced in large editions for circulation. The minting of the coins, however, turned out to be problematic. The wreath on the back meant that the edge areas on the front were mostly too weak. To compensate for this, the embossing pressure was increased, but this led to faster wear of the embossing dies. In 1859 the Flying Eagle Cent was finally replaced by the Indian Head Cent.
On the front is the American heraldic bird, a bald eagle, in flight. Above is the country name "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" . The year of issue is positioned below. The reverse shows the nominal value "ONE CENT" in two lines , surrounded by a wreath of various crops: u. a. Cereals, corn and grape leaves. The coin weighs 4.7 g and is 19 mm in diameter. It consists of 88% copper and 12% nickel .
Years and editions
The following table contains all coined years and their circulation. The third column lists the number of copies of the coins in proof. All coins were minted in Philadelphia.
| year | Edition | Proof |
|---|---|---|
| 1856 | approx. 750 | approx. 1,500 |
| 1857 | 17,450,000 | about 500 |
| 1858 | 24,600,000 | approx. 160 200 |
Individual evidence
- ↑ Years and editions of the Flying Eagle Cent (English)