My big FUN show purchase, an 1856 Flying Eagle

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by johnmilton, Jan 13, 2025.

  1. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    This year cents were the main items on my shopping list. I am trying to build a date set of cents from 1793 to 2025.

    The year 1856 is covered in this set by a large cent I have had for a number of years. It's the best Braded Hair piece I have, and it is the coin for my type set.

    1856 Cent All.jpg

    I had been thinking about an 1856 Flying Eagle Cent as a Proof for some time. Unlike some type collectors I prefer Proof coins when I can get them. Currently the Proof 1856 Flying Eagle cents are selling for a good deal less than than the Uncirculated pieces. All of them have been expensive for years, of course.

    I can't do justice with this piece with my photographs. I'm still working on it, but this is the best I've done so far. It is NGC graded PR-64.

    1856 Flying Eagle All.jpg

    This historic coin marked the start of the small cent era. Many of them were struck and given to members of Congress to get them to support the bill for the small cents. Many more were made over the next couple of years to satisfy collector demand. The passing of the large cent brought a much larger number of Americans into the coin collecting hobby. People immediately starting collecting the large cents by date, and market was born.

    The Red Book has long listed the mintage for the 1856 Flying Eagle cent at 1,000 pieces. It's a good deal higher than that. The current estimate is 2,200 to 2,300. It doesn't matter. The strong demand for this coin has kept the prices high for many years.
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. BRandM

    BRandM Counterstamp Collector

    Beautiful coins and gems for your collection. I especially like the large cent as it's one of my favorite series of American coins. Kudos to you for two wonderful examples.

    Bruce
     
  4. BuffaloHunter

    BuffaloHunter Short of a full herd Supporter

    Very nice pick up, Bill! That FE is absolutely amazing.

    I wouldn't kick that large cent out of bed for eating crackers either.
     
  5. Lehigh96

    Lehigh96 Toning Enthusiast

    That braided hair cent is unbelievable. As for the proof FEC, I've never seen one before so I have no frame of reference. Now that I think about it, I don't even know if I have ever seen a photo of one before. Congrats on adding that rarity to your amazing collection!
     
  6. Eric the Red

    Eric the Red Exploring the World of Coins Supporter

    Incredible coins, thank you for posting these beauties.
     
    johnmilton and SensibleSal66 like this.
  7. Mat

    Mat Ancient Coincoholic

    Beautiful coppers!
     
    johnmilton and SensibleSal66 like this.
  8. wxcoin

    wxcoin Getting no respect since I was a baby

    Years ago at a small coin show in western OK a dealer plopped a slabbed one in front of me while I was looking at some Indian Head cents that I was considering buying. I remember telling him that the $8K he wanted for it would end my marriage if I bought it. Looking back I should have bought it since my marriage ended a few years later anyway.
     
  9. ksparrow

    ksparrow Coin Hoarder Supporter

    2 terrific coins, great specimens of large and small cents!
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  10. benveniste

    benveniste Type Type

    Congratulations!
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  11. GoldFinger1969

    GoldFinger1969 Well-Known Member

    Congrats, Bill !!:cigar:
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  12. erscolo

    erscolo Well-Known Member

    Each of these coins are a beautiful example of the minter's art at the time large cents faded out and small cents came into being.
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  13. KBBPLL

    KBBPLL Well-Known Member

    I was reading up on why this was such a short-lived issue, and learned something odd (to me at least) - large cents were never legal tender because they were copper. The federal government would not redeem them or take them in payment of taxes; banks and merchants often refused them. So for 64 years the US Mint was making coins that the federal government wouldn't accept. How strange. Part of legislation authorizing the Flying Eagle cents made them legal tender.
     
    Neal likes this.
  14. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    The small cents did have limited legal tender status, but it wasn’t much. I think it was 10 cents at one point, and then it went down to 4 cents. Today it’s 50 cents. That means you can’t pay a debt legally by dumping a truck load of cents in someone’s front yard.
     
    ldhair and Neal like this.
  15. Neal

    Neal Well-Known Member

    Very true, but, since most people don't know that, it sometimes happens and the victim doesn't know he or she can keep the cents and still take the person to court for the debt owed (minus the 50 cents). Personally, I wouldn't totally object to a dump truck load of unsearched cents to go through.

    By the way, I love the 1856 pair!!
     
    Last edited: Jan 14, 2025
    johnmilton likes this.
  16. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    That is a fantastic coin! Congrats on the pickup!
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  17. EdGs

    EdGs Member

    I think that both are counterfeit and you should send them to me for proper disposal.;)

    Those are both amazingly beautiful examples, I can only dream of owning coins that nice. Congrats on the pickup.
     
    Eric Babula and johnmilton like this.
  18. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    I am courious. When will we see you at another FUN show?
     
    Eric Babula likes this.
  19. Eric Babula

    Eric Babula Well-Known Member

    Wow, John! Those are beautiful!!! Very nice pickups!
     
    johnmilton and SensibleSal66 like this.
  20. physics-fan3.14

    physics-fan3.14 You got any more of them.... prooflikes?

    Each year something has kept me away. I do miss hanging out with you guys. This year I am on a cruise to Antarctica. I Saw penguins on an iceberg out my window this morning
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page