1858 Proof Cent Pattern - J-201

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as Judd-201, this pattern cent presents the Large Letters Flying Eagle obverse without a date, paired with an experimental reverse. Like its Small Letters counterpart J-200, the obverse carries the Flying Eagle design with UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in large letters but lacks any date. The omission gives the coin a distinctly unusual appearance among the 1858 pattern series. Struck in copper-nickel with a plain edge, J-201 is part of the dateless subset of 1858 Flying Eagle patterns. While the regular circulation strikes of 1858 are well known in both Small Letters and Large Letters varieties, these dateless experimental pieces represent a more radical departure from convention. The Mint ultimately retained the date on the obverse for all subsequent cent designs, making these undated experiments a fascinating footnote in the evolution of the small cent.