1858 Flying Eagle Cent Large Letters Low Leaves? You Judge Fine Last Year Type

Offered here is a genuine 1858 Flying Eagle cent, the last year of the Flying Eagle type. The Flying Eagle cent was the first small cent struck by the U.S. Mint, made only for circulation in 1857 and 1858 in copper-nickel, before it was replaced by the Indian Head cent in 1859. A classic pre-Civil War type coin that belongs in every small cent collection.

Variety: Large Letters, Low Leaves? You judge. Most 1858 Large Letters cents carry the High Leaves reverse left over from 1857. To our eye this coin pairs the Large Letters obverse (the A and M of AMERICA nearly joined) with the Low Leaves reverse introduced in mid-1858, where the small leaves beside the C and T of CENT sit low and away from the letters. That interchanged pairing is listed in the Cherrypickers' Guide as FS-901. The wear makes it a judgment call, so we are not guaranteeing the variety; please judge for yourself from the photos.

Grade: Fine. The eagle is bold with a clear outline, and the upper wing shows good feather detail; the breast, tail and head are worn smooth, as expected for the grade. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and the date are full and clear. On the reverse, ONE CENT is bold and the wreath shows its leaves, ears of corn and bow in outline, with the finer detail worn away.

Condition, please read: in fairness, the surfaces are a mottled brown with scattered darker spots and some light greenish spotting, mostly around the reverse wreath and rim and near the date. Light marks from circulation. Please see all the photos, which are the best description.

Year: 1858
Mint: Philadelphia (no mint mark)
Type: Flying Eagle cent (1857 to 1858)
Variety: Large Letters; Low Leaves? (possible FS-901, you judge)
Composition: 88% copper, 12% nickel
Condition: Ungraded (raw coin, not certified)

The coin shown is the exact coin you will receive.

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