1856 Cent Pattern - J-182

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Judd-182 (Pollock-213), this 1856 Flying Eagle cent was struck in bronze rather than the standard copper-nickel alloy, making it one of the scarcer metallic variants of this famous pattern issue. The obverse and reverse designs are identical to the well-known J-180: the Flying Eagle motif with thirteen stars and date on the obverse, and ONE CENT within a wreath on the reverse, all with a plain edge. The bronze composition sets this piece apart visually and metallurgically from the far more common copper-nickel strikings. Bronze — an alloy of copper and tin — would later become the standard composition for the Indian Head cent beginning in 1864, making this 1856 pattern an interesting precursor to that eventual adoption. The Mint's willingness to test the Flying Eagle design across copper, copper-nickel, bronze, and other alloys demonstrates the thoroughness of their approach to determining the ideal composition for the new small cent denomination.