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Flying Eagle Cent 1856 - 1858
Slow to respond, in the 1850s Mint officials finally became willing to deal with the
problems caused by the large cents since 1793. The large copper cents (because of their
size) were too cumbersome and unpopular, they were also uneconomical to make. Additionally,
there were still many small Spanish silver coins circulating in the United States which
made the need for a smaller US coin obvious.
Sparked by the widespread use of tokens, the idea of fiduciary coinage, based on the
trustworthiness of the issuing authority, not on the coin’s intrinsic value, was beginning
to catch on as well. Large Copper coins were on their way out, but it was the large numbers
of small Spanish colonial silver coins in use that finally made it imperative that smaller
cents should be struck.
Vital Stats.
Designer: James Barton Longacre using Christian Gobrecht's eagle design
Diameter: 19 millimeters
Weight: 4.7 grams
Content: 88% copper 12% nickel
Edge: Plain
Mint Mark: None (Philadelphia)
Year
Mint | Circulation
Strikesc |
1856  | About 750 |
| 1857 | 17,450,000 |
| 1858 | 24,600,000 |
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The coinage law of February 21, 1857 gave Snowden the means to perge the halls of commerce
of foreign coins. In addition to abolishing the half cent, the law also specified that
the new cents would weigh 72 grains and be composed of 88% copper and 12% nickel, and
that they were redeemable for the old copper cents and half cents.But the most important
provision as far as Snowden was concerned was the one that permitted the Mint to redeem
Spanish double-reales, reales and medios at the rate of 25, 12-1/2, and 6-1/4 cents, respectively,
for the new cents. All other government offices would only convert them at 20, 10, and 5
cents respectively, therefore, banks were very desirous of exchanging as many of the
Spanish coins as possible. When the Flying Eagle cents were first released on May 25, 1857,
more than a thousand people were at the mint building to convert their old Spanish coins
and large coppers.
"Flying Eagle" One Cent
1858 Flying Eagle Large Letter Example
1858 Flying Eagle Small Letter Example
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Designed by James B. Longacre, the Flying Eagle motif was actually an adaptation of the
design used on pattern silver dollars twenty years before. The eagle figure had originally
been drawn by Titian Peale and sculpted by Christian Gobrecht. The reverse wreath was
similarly adapted from the model Longacre had made for the 1854 one and three dollar
gold pieces.
The relationship of the head of the eagle, the tail of the eagle (both on the front)
and the wreath (on the reverse) when added to increased striking pressure (in order
to show the eagles feathers) all led to frequent die breakage on the "Flying Eagle" cent.
After three years of production the "Flying Eagle" was suspended.
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