Design and Specifications of the Flying Eagle Cent

The Flying Eagle Cent was a short-lived series that marked the transition from large cents to small cents in U.S. coinage. It was the first small-sized one-cent coin and the first to use a copper-nickel alloy, paving the way for future coin designs and compositions.

Weight 4.67 grams
Diameter 19 mm
Mint Marks No mint marks used; all were minted in Philadelphia
Composition 88% copper, 12% nickel
Obverse Design Flying eagle in flight, designed by James B. Longacre
Reverse Design Wreath surrounding the words 'ONE CENT', designed by James B. Longacre
Years of Minting 1856-1858

Collectibility and Rare Varieties

The condition of Flying Eagle Cents significantly impacts their value, with well-preserved examples commanding substantial premiums. The 1856 issue is particularly valuable due to its status as a pattern coin and extremely low mintage. Collectors should also be aware of the 'clashed die' error on some 1857 and 1858 coins, which can increase their value.

1856 Approximately 2,000 minted; extremely rare pattern coin
1857 17,450,000 minted; common date but scarce in high grades
1858 Large Letters 24,600,000 minted; slightly less common than Small Letters variety
1858 Small Letters Mintage included in Large Letters total; more common variety

Explore Flying Eagle Cent Values by Year

1856 1857 1858

Most Valuable Flying Eagle Cent

This section highlights the most valuable coins in the series, based on eBay sales, third-party auctions, and PCGS price guides. The table shows price ranges for each coin in various conditions. Note that PCGS estimates often exceed eBay prices, especially for less rare coins.

Coin Name Min Circulated Price Max Circulated Price Min Uncirculated Price Max Uncirculated Price
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-3 (Proof) $5,287.50 $13,200.00 $10,800.00 $240,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $47.00 $28,800.00 $62.50 $172,500.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-3 (Regular Strike) $9,000.00 $12,600.00 $31,200.00 $94,000.00
1858/7 Penny Strong (Regular Strike) $98.00 $4,140.00 $1,000.00 $74,025.00
1858/7 Penny Overdate, FS-301, S-1 (Regular Strike) $142.18 $2,880.00 $1,320.00 $72,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) $3,905.00 $20,700.00 $2,650.00 $70,500.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) $2,970.00 $5,581.25 $1,485.00 $46,000.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Proof) $8,260.25 $8,260.25 $17.50 $44,650.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-5 (Proof) $8,400.00 $8,400.00 $15,275.00 $44,650.00
1858 Penny Large Letters, CAM (Proof) - - $6,325.00 $43,125.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle, CAM (Proof) - - $5,170.00 $43,125.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-1 (Proof) - - $35,250.00 $41,125.00
1858 Penny Small Letters (Regular Strike) $15.00 $700.00 $7.25 $40,800.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Regular Strike) $16.00 $1,410.00 $110.00 $40,250.00
1858 Penny Small Letters (Proof) $546.00 $6,900.00 $575.00 $40,250.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-4 (Proof) - - $11,100.00 $32,900.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-9 (Proof) $4,320.00 $13,200.00 $8,812.50 $32,900.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $13.00 $1,260.00 $4.20 $32,200.00
1857 Penny Obv. Die Clash w/ $20, FS-403 (Regular Strike) $152.75 $30,550.00 - -
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-2, CAM (Proof) - - $28,200.00 $28,200.00
1858/7 Penny Weak Overdate FS-302, S-7 (Regular Strike) $305.50 $1,351.00 $3,290.00 $23,500.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401a (Regular Strike) $384.00 $384.00 $840.00 $18,800.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle, CAM (Proof) - - $11,788.00 $18,400.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-2 (Proof) - - $12,925.00 $16,800.00
1858 Penny Small Letters, CAM (Proof) - - $7,637.50 $11,500.00
1857 1C Rev. Die Clash w/ Quarter, S-8 (Regular Strike) $117.50 $504.00 $1,033.00 $8,225.00
1857 1C Obv. Clash w/ Half Dollar, FS-402, S-9 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $60.00 $870.00 $504.00 $5,875.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401b (Regular Strike) $40.00 $456.00 $290.00 $5,640.00
1858 Penny DDO FS-101 Large Letters (Regular Strike) $138.00 $250.00 $311.00 $5,640.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-105, S-3 (Regular Strike) $74.00 $74.00 $720.00 $3,525.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-101, S-4 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $164.50 $660.00 $259.00 $3,290.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-104 S-5 (002.8) (Regular Strike) $183.00 $183.00 $851.88 $2,820.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-102, Snow-15 (Regular Strike) $253.00 $253.00 $552.00 $2,585.00
1857 Penny DDO & RPD FS-103, S-10 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $89.00 $435.00 $504.00 $2,530.00
1858 Penny Lg. Let., Low Leaves, FS-901 (Regular Strike) $180.00 $312.00 $480.00 $2,040.00
1857 Penny RPD FS-301 S-11 (001.5) (Regular Strike) $216.00 $456.00 $1,020.00 $1,645.00
1858 Penny Sm. Let., High Leaves, FS-1901 (Regular Strike) $240.00 $240.00 $1,200.00 $1,320.00
1858/(7) Penny Weak (Regular Strike) $159.00 $376.00 $600.00 $600.00
Coin Name Min Circulated Price Max Circulated Price Min Uncirculated Price Max Uncirculated Price
1858 Penny Small Letters (Regular Strike) $12.50 $649.99 $123.50 $38,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) $5,500.00 $16,999.00 $10,711.20 $24,495.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $67.00 $10,205.00 $14,500.00 $22,500.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-3 (Proof) - - $13,600.00 $19,500.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Regular Strike) $5.00 $1,775.00 $110.00 $17,120.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $7.50 $650.00 $9.00 $15,500.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-4 (Proof) - - $13,997.00 $13,997.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401a, PL (Regular Strike) - - $12,500.00 $12,500.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) - - $9,450.00 $9,450.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Proof) - - $9,250.00 $9,250.00
1858/7 Penny Strong (Regular Strike) $255.00 $1,595.00 $7,499.99 $7,499.99
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401a (Regular Strike) - - $6,000.00 $6,000.00
1857 1C Obv. Clash w/ Half Dollar, FS-402, S-9 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $8.99 $379.95 $203.59 $5,000.00
1858/7 Penny Weak Overdate FS-302, S-7 (Regular Strike) $550.00 $950.00 $2,249.00 $4,850.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-104 S-5 (002.8) (Regular Strike) - - $3,499.00 $3,499.00
1857 Penny Obv. Die Clash w/ $20, FS-403 (Regular Strike) $325.00 $2,150.00 - -
1858/(7) Penny Weak (Regular Strike) $93.50 $379.99 $599.00 $2,140.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-105, S-3 (Regular Strike) $80.00 $351.00 $632.88 $1,900.00
1858 Penny Sm. Let., High Leaves, FS-1901 (Regular Strike) - - $750.00 $1,825.00
1857 Penny DDO & RPD FS-103, S-10 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $93.00 $188.75 $749.00 $1,662.49
1857 1C Rev. Die Clash w/ Quarter, S-8 (Regular Strike) $66.01 $1,625.00 - -
1858 Penny Lg. Let., Low Leaves, FS-901 (Regular Strike) $73.00 $138.35 $1,500.00 $1,500.00
1858/7 Penny Overdate, FS-301, S-1 (Regular Strike) $350.00 $1,485.00 - -
1857 Penny DDO FS-102, Snow-15 (Regular Strike) - - $1,337.50 $1,337.50
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401b (Regular Strike) $27.51 $425.00 $635.36 $1,200.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-101, S-4 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $67.50 $405.00 $720.00 $720.00
1857 Penny RPD FS-301 S-11 (001.5) (Regular Strike) $499.95 $499.95 - -
1858 Penny DDO FS-101 Large Letters (Regular Strike) $85.00 $232.50 - -
Coin Name Min Circulated Price Max Circulated Price Min Uncirculated Price Max Uncirculated Price
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) $5,500.00 $16,250.00 $16,500.00 $250,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $6,000.00 $17,650.00 $18,000.00 $225,000.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle, CAM (Proof) - - $8,250.00 $95,000.00
1858/7 Penny Overdate, FS-301, S-1 (Regular Strike) $90.00 $3,850.00 $4,150.00 $90,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-3 (Proof) $9,500.00 $17,250.00 $17,500.00 $87,500.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-3 (Regular Strike) $6,250.00 $18,000.00 $18,500.00 $85,000.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Regular Strike) $30.00 $590.00 $600.00 $85,000.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Proof) - - $5,000.00 $85,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-5 (Proof) $9,000.00 $9,000.00 $10,000.00 $76,500.00
1858/7 Penny Strong (Regular Strike) $42.00 $4,150.00 $4,250.00 $75,000.00
1858 Penny Large Letters, CAM (Proof) - - $9,000.00 $60,000.00
1858 Penny Small Letters (Proof) - - $4,350.00 $60,000.00
1857 Penny Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $28.00 $610.00 $625.00 $55,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-1 (Proof) $16,750.00 $17,000.00 $18,000.00 $55,000.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401a (Regular Strike) $45.00 $875.00 $1,050.00 $55,000.00
1858 Penny Small Letters, CAM (Proof) - - $4,500.00 $50,000.00
1858 Penny Large Letters (Proof) - - $4,500.00 $45,000.00
1858 Penny Small Letters (Regular Strike) $36.00 $635.00 $650.00 $38,000.00
1857 Penny Obv. Die Clash w/ $20, FS-403 (Regular Strike) $215.00 $36,000.00 - -
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-9 (Proof) $9,000.00 $16,350.00 $16,750.00 $36,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-4 (Proof) - - $11,500.00 $35,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-2, CAM (Proof) - - $32,500.00 $32,500.00
1858/7 Penny Weak Overdate FS-302, S-7 (Regular Strike) $130.00 $3,600.00 $3,750.00 $30,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle, CAM (Proof) - - $21,000.00 $28,000.00
1856 Penny Flying Eagle S-2 (Proof) - - $16,250.00 $26,000.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-102, Snow-15 (Regular Strike) $70.00 $675.00 $725.00 $14,000.00
1857 1C Rev. Die Clash w/ Quarter, S-8 (Regular Strike) $65.00 $1,100.00 $1,300.00 $10,500.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401a, PL (Regular Strike) - - $9,500.00 $9,500.00
1857 1C Obv. Clash w/ Half Dollar, FS-402, S-9 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $65.00 $825.00 $900.00 $7,500.00
1858 Penny DDO FS-101 Large Letters (Regular Strike) $110.00 $825.00 $875.00 $7,000.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-105, S-3 (Regular Strike) $50.00 $600.00 $625.00 $4,750.00
1857 Penny RPD FS-301 S-11 (001.5) (Regular Strike) $40.00 $650.00 $725.00 $4,000.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-101, S-4 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $42.00 $575.00 $625.00 $4,000.00
1857 Penny Obverse of 1856, FS-401b (Regular Strike) $77.00 $725.00 $750.00 $3,750.00
1857 Penny DDO FS-104 S-5 (002.8) (Regular Strike) $110.00 $800.00 $875.00 $3,350.00
1857 Penny DDO & RPD FS-103, S-10 Flying Eagle (Regular Strike) $70.00 $600.00 $725.00 $3,000.00
1858/(7) Penny Weak (Regular Strike) $45.00 $625.00 $675.00 $2,350.00
1858 Penny Lg. Let., Low Leaves, FS-901 (Regular Strike) $65.00 $615.00 $650.00 $2,250.00
1858 Penny Sm. Let., High Leaves, FS-1901 (Regular Strike) $40.00 $525.00 $675.00 $2,150.00