1856 Flying Eagle Cent
Circulation strike struck at the Philadelphia Mint · 634 made
- Mintage
- 634
- Metal
- 88% copper, 12% nickel
- Weight
- 4.67 g
- Diameter
- 19 mm
Original illustration. Tap to flip. Not a photograph of the actual coin.
Face value · Metal value · Small premium · Collector premium · Significant rarity. We use bands because prices change daily.
What is an 1856 Flying Eagle Cent worth?
Few coins in the series are harder to find. Even a worn 1856 sells well above face value. The flip side is that counterfeits and altered dates are common, so authentication matters.
What would make yours worth more:
- Uncirculated condition with full original luster
- Full red copper color (labeled RD) rather than brown
- A die variety or minting error
- Certification by PCGS or NGC, which buyers expect for scarce dates
For market prices, check recent sold results for certified coins in the same grade.
Quick answers
- Is the 1856 Flying Eagle Cent rare?
- 634 were made, which is a small number.
- Where is the mint mark on an 1856 Flying Eagle Cent?
- No mint mark. All struck in Philadelphia.
- How many 1856 Flying Eagle Cent coins were made?
- 634.
What to check on your 1856
- There's no mint mark on this one, so the date and condition are what matter.
- Check the date and mint mark under magnification for tooling or added letters. Scarce dates are the ones forgers alter.
- Proof or circulation strike? A proof has mirror-like fields and frosted design details and was sold to collectors, not released in change. The 1856 Flying Eagle Cent Proof (1,500 made) is the one to compare with.
- Old coins pick up damage over a long life. Look for holes, bends, scratches or signs of cleaning before you judge the grade, because a damaged coin sells for a fraction of a problem-free one.
- Judge the grade under good light. Look at the eagle's breast and the tips of the wing feathers. The hard alloy often produced weak strikes, so a sharp coin is worth a premium.
Low-mintage dates attract altered and counterfeit coins. Check that the date have not been tooled or added, or buy one already certified by PCGS or NGC.
The story of the 1856
1856 was the first year of the Flying Eagle Cent. Philadelphia struck 634 of them. The next year it made 17 million (1857).
No other mint struck it for circulation that year, so every 1856 you find is from Philadelphia.
The first small cents (1856 to 1858)
The Flying Eagle began as a pattern in 1856, when a small number were struck to show members of Congress the proposed copper-nickel cent. Many more were restruck for collectors in the following years. The Act of February 21, 1857 approved a 72 grain coin of 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel. The public lined up at the Philadelphia Mint in May 1857 to exchange old large cents and Spanish silver for the new coins. Output was 17.45 million in 1857 and 24.6 million in 1858.
The hard alloy and high relief eagle caused trouble. Dies cracked quickly and many coins show weak eagle tail feathers and wreath leaves. The 1857 has clashed die varieties showing traces of other denominations. On 1858 large letters cents the A and M in AMERICA touch, while on small letters cents they are separated. A rare 1858/7 overdate also exists. Survivors are usually light tan to olive in color.
The 1856 Flying Eagle cents were made as patterns, an estimated 2,000 or so pieces including restrikes made for collectors in later years. They were never released for circulation, but because they are listed with the regular series the 1856 is the key to a set. The new cents were released on May 25, 1857, when crowds lined up at the Mint to exchange old large cents and Spanish silver. The 1858/7 overdate is a popular variety.
Elsewhere in US coinage in 1856
The Mint made pattern Flying Eagle cents dated 1856 to test a smaller copper-nickel cent. They were given to members of Congress and collectors, which helped launch coin collecting in the United States.
How to recognize it
A small copper-nickel cent showing an eagle in flight with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA around it and the date below. The reverse is a wreath of corn, wheat, cotton and tobacco around ONE CENT. At 19 mm it set the size of the US cent that is still used today. The hard alloy was difficult to strike, so weak feathers on the eagle are common.
Mintage chart
Specifications
| Series | Flying Eagle Cent (1856–1858) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1856 |
| Mint | Philadelphia Mint |
| Mint mark | None |
| Strike type | Circulation strike |
| Mintage | 634 |
| Face value | 1¢ |
| Composition | 88% copper, 12% nickel |
| Weight | 4.67 grams |
| Diameter | 19 mm |
| Edge | Plain |
| Designer | James B. Longacre, after Christian Gobrecht's flying eagle |
Other 1856 Flying Eagle Cent issues
| Coin | Mintage | Type | Silver |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1856 Flying Eagle Cent | 634 | Circulation strike | – |
| 1856 Flying Eagle Cent Proof | 1,500 | Proof | – |
Mintage: United States cent mintage figures (Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0), compiled from US Mint records and the Guide Book of United States Coins. How we build these pages.