1858 Flying Eagle Varieties

Three major varieties appear on 1858 Small Cents: Small Letters, Large Letters, and 1858 over 7. On the Small Letters variety, the A and M of AMERICA are completely separated; on the Large Letters variety, the A and M are connected at their bases.

Values for both large & small varieties are the same

G (4)	VG (8)	F (12)	VF (20)	EF (40)	AU (50)	MS (60)	MS (63)	PR (63)
28	35	46	60	153	206	362	739	8762

Interesting Facts about the Flying Eagle Small Cent Series

The "Flying Eagle" cent was the first U.S. penny without a Liberty design.

The Flying Eagle design was originally intended as a silver dollar engraving. It presented minting problems with the eagle's head and tail, leading to its quick retirement after only two years service.

The 1857-1858 "Flying Eagle" cent introduced the small penny size to U.S. coinage. The public welcomed the compact, non-smearing copper-nickel cent in lieu of the big, 100% copper penny that could stain hands.

The "Flying Eagle" and early 1859-1864 "Indian Head" pennies were known as "nickels" or "nicks" because of their new copper-nickel content. They later came to be called "white cents" to describe their light-hued appearance.

1857 Flying Eagle Varieties

1857 Flying Eagle Varieties referenced by Snow and Fivaz and Stanton Numbers

Obverse style of 1856. FS-401
1857 S1 1857/1857(sw); FS-401a; RPD-001
1857 S2 FS-401b

Obverse of 1857
1857 S3 Doubled die obverse, Broken wing tip. FS-105; DDO-008
1857 S4 Doubled die obverse, Missing wing tip. FS-101; DDO-002
1857 S5 Doubled die obverse. FS-104; DDO-005
1857 S6 Doubled die obverse. DDO-009
1857 S7 $20 clash obverse. FS-403; MAD-001
1857 S8 25¢ clash reverse. FS-901; PCGS-37377; MAD-002
1857 S9 50¢ clash obverse. FS-402; PCGS-37375; MAD-003
1857 S10 57/57/57 (s), 1/1 (n), Doubled die obverse. FS-103; DDO-006
1857 S11 1857/1857 (s). FS-301; RPD-003
1857 S12 Tripled die obverse. DDO-013
(No listing for 1857 S13)
1857 S14 Doubled die obverse. DDO-010
1857 S15 Doubled die obverse. FS-102; DDO-003
1857 S16 Multiple digits in Eagle. MPD-001
1857 S17 Doubled die obverse. DDO-001
1857 S18 Doubled die obverse. DDO-004
1857 S19 Doubled die obverse. DDO-011
1857 S20 18/18 (s). RPD-004
1857 S21 Doubled die obverse. DDO-12
1857 S22 Repaired OF

Patterns:
1857 PT1, Regular dies trial.
1857 PT2 Coronet Liberty Cent. J-186

The History of Small Cents

Proof Flying Eagle Cents

Flying Eagle Cents were struck in Philadelphia from 1856 to 1858. 1856 dated coins were patterns issued to show Congress what the new small cents would look like.

It is estimated that 1500 to 2500 pieces were issued in 1856, most being proof examples. The Flying Eagle Cent series also has an overdate, 1858/7, and two letter variations for the 1858 dated Flying Eagle Cent.

 

Proof Flying Eagle Mintage Figures & Values

Year	Mintage	Value (PR63)
1856	1500	$25,554
1857	485	$8762
1858	160-200	$8762