Owner Comments:
Total Graded: 7617
Total Prooflike: 9
Percentage: 0.1182%
The Flying Eagle cent is a really short series, but remains quite popular. The coins of 1856 are considered to be patterns, while regular issue coins were only made in 1857 and 1858. Despite this, there are a wealth of varieties and subtle design changes. There are two design subtypes in 1858: the coins of ’57 and early ’58 have Large Letters on the reverse, some of the 1858 coins have Small Letters. This difference is easily seen in the United States of America on the obverse. There is also a reverse design type: High Leaves and Low Leaves. This is most clearly seen by looking at the leaf just to the left of the C and to the right of T in CENT. On the high leaves reverse, the leaf will come up above the level of the base of the C and T (as seen on my coin). On the low leaves reverse, this leaf ends below the bottom of the letters.
Many of the 19th century prooflikes are theorized to have been created when Proof dies were later recycled and used for business strikes. The first few of the strikes will have reflective surfaces, until the delicate mirrors are worn off by the moving metal. The present coin, my 1858, is very easy to identify as one of these “coins struck by proof dies.” Rick Snow has specialized in early small cents, and, using his book, this coin can be attributed as the PR-1. After showing the coin to Snow, he agrees that the coin is a prooflike business strike. The key identifiers are the weaknesses in the strike, and the rounded rims. A proof strike will have sharp, square corners on the rims which this coin does not show.
The appearance of this coin is quite attractive to a specialist, but may not be something everyone appreciates. The mirrors are not extremely strong, but the fields are clearly reflective. The luster is muted (luster is often difficult to interpret on PL coins). There is a subtle and original patina on the coin. Flying eagle cents were made with an alloy high in nickel, so their color is very different from later date cents – the pale reddish/brownish color of this coin is original, and characteristic of this composition. Weakness of the strike, especially in the wreath on the reverse, is minor (the strike is above average for the date – but below a true proof). Minor carbon spots are flecked here and there, and a planchet flaw below the 1 of the date provides easy provenance identification. The coin easily earns the 64PL grade.