1856 Flying Eagle Cent Base
Base
About This Coin
The 1856 Flying Eagle Cent Base is a United States cent from the Flying Eagle Cents 1856-1858 series — the first year of the series. In 1856, coins were struck at the Philadelphia Mint with a combined mintage of 2,134. This represents the lowest annual mintage in the entire series, below the series median of 34.9 million. The obverse features a flying eagle in mid-flight, adapted from the Gobrecht dollar reverse and the reverse displays a wreath enclosing ONE CENT. Technically a pattern — approximately 2,000 were struck before Congress officially authorized the small cent format. The 1856 Flying Eagle is one of the most famous and valuable U.S. pattern coins. Weighing 4.7 grams, 19 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Across its variants, estimated values range from $9.3K to $31K depending on mint mark, grade, and strike type. A notable auction result reached $173K in MS66 grade at Heritage Auctions. Designed by James Barton Longacre.
Value Estimates
Values as of May 2026 — range across all strike types, reflecting typical grades (G-4 through MS-63). Coins in lower or exceptional grades may fall outside this range.
