The Flying Eagle Penny: A Numismatic Journey

There’s a particular satisfaction in holding a Flying Eagle penny – one of those coins that looks like nothing else in your collection. I acquired my first one at a coin show years ago, not really knowing what I was buying beyond “old and interesting.” Since then, I’ve come to appreciate why these brief-lived coins captivate collectors the way they do.

The Birth of the Flying Eagle Penny

Before 1857, Americans dealt with large cents – chunky copper coins about the size of a half dollar. They were heavy, impractical, and increasingly expensive to produce as copper prices rose. Something had to change.

James B. Longacre, the Mint’s chief engraver, designed what would replace them. His Flying Eagle depicted an eagle in motion, borrowing from earlier Gobrecht dollar designs but adapting it for the small cent format. The result was genuinely striking – pun intended. It represented freedom, progress, movement. Probably should have led with this honestly: the design was beautiful but technically problematic.

Design Characteristics

That flying eagle on the obverse catches your eye immediately. Unlike the static eagles on other coins, this one appears mid-flight, wings spread. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA circles above, with the date below. There’s an energy to the design that static portraits can’t match.

The reverse is simpler – a wreath of corn, wheat, cotton, and tobacco surrounding ONE CENT. These crops represented American agricultural abundance at a time when farming defined the national economy. The design communicated prosperity without being flashy.

The Composition Shift

The Flying Eagle introduced a new alloy: 88% copper and 12% nickel. This gave the coins a distinctive whitish appearance quite different from the brown/red of pure copper. It was cheaper to produce and more durable in circulation.

But here’s what I find interesting: this composition change reflected broader technological progress at the Mint. They were experimenting, learning what worked and what didn’t. The Flying Eagle served partly as a test case for new approaches to coinage.

The Short Mintage

Only three years – 1856, 1857, and 1858. That’s it. The Mint struggled with production issues from the start. The coin’s high relief design required tremendous striking pressure, causing dies to wear out rapidly. The nickel alloy was harder to work with than pure copper, creating additional manufacturing headaches.

Each problem added costs. Die replacements ate into budgets. Production couldn’t keep pace with demand. By 1858, it was clear the design wasn’t sustainable for mass production. Something simpler was needed.

The Replacement by Indian Head Penny

The Indian Head cent that debuted in 1859 solved most of the Flying Eagle’s problems. Lower relief made striking easier. The same copper-nickel alloy worked better with the less demanding design. Production costs dropped and output increased.

The public seemed to accept the change readily. The Indian Head design would last forty years, a testament to its practicality. But for collectors, that brief Flying Eagle interlude holds special appeal precisely because it was so short-lived.

The 1856 Pattern Piece Significance

The first-year coins weren’t really meant for circulation. The Mint struck around 2,000 pieces in 1856 primarily to demonstrate the new design to Congress and the public. These pattern pieces became immediately collectible.

Today, 1856 Flying Eagles are key date coins – essential pieces that define whether a collection is truly complete. Prices reflect that status. Even heavily worn examples command substantial premiums, and high-grade specimens occasionally sell for six figures.

Collecting the Flying Eagle Penny

If you’re considering adding Flying Eagles to your collection, here’s the landscape:

• The 1856 pattern is the prize piece, genuinely rare and priced accordingly. Most collectors never acquire one, and that’s okay.
• 1857 and 1858 coins are far more accessible. Circulated examples can be found for reasonable prices, offering entry into this series without breaking the bank.
• Condition matters enormously. A well-struck, problem-free example is worth multiples of a weakly struck or damaged piece of the same date.

Authentication is essential. Counterfeits exist, particularly of the valuable 1856 date. Professional grading provides peace of mind and typically increases resale value. For anything significant, the certification cost is worthwhile.

Eagle Eye: The Legacy of Flying Eagle Cents

These coins bridge two eras in American numismatics. They ended the large cent period and introduced the small cent format still used today. The lessons learned during their production informed everything that followed.

What I appreciate most is how they represent experimentation. The Mint tried something new, encountered problems, and adapted. That willingness to innovate – even when it means admitting failure and starting over – shaped American coinage for generations. The Flying Eagle’s brief flight left a permanent mark on numismatic history.