The small cent is a denomination that may be nearing the end of its journey in the 2020s. However, the coin has a long and colorful history that began in the mid-1850s. It came about when copper prices and inflation caused many to rethink the denomination, which at the time was rendered as a coin larger in size than a “golden” dollar coin of today. The 1857 Large Cent was the last coin of its kind in the United States. It was replaced by the small cent, a coin measuring 19 millimeters in diameter and then weighing 4.67 grams – less than half the weight of its 27.5-millimeter-wide predecessor, which tipped the scales at 10.89 grams.
It’s important to denote the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent as among the first of its kind. Why “among”? Depending on who you’re talking to, some would say the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent was technically the second of its kind. The Coinage Act of 1857 authorized the creation of the small cent, which had already been produced in 1856 but were technically produced only as patterns at that time. Over the last generations, collectors have increasingly reassigned the 1856 pattern cents as pieces that should be included among the regular-issue coins. So, while the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent was officially the first small cent, it followed the 1856 pattern and thus isn’t necessarily viewed as the “first” small cent by many collectors and numismatic scholars.
Whether or not you believe the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent to be the first small cent, there’s no question that it ushered in a new era in American numismatics when the coin came to the fore. Designed by James B. Longacre and featuring the motif of a flying eagle on its reverse and wreath encircling the words “ONE CENT” on the reverse, the Flying Eagle Cent quickly earned acclaim with the American public. Many loved how much smaller and lighter the new coin was than its bigger predecessor, making the Flying Eagle Cent more convenient for carrying in large quantities.
Unfortunately, the Flying Eagle design was difficult for the dies to render, and the coin was phased out by the end of 1858. It was replaced by the Indian Cent, which went on to see 50 years of production beginning in 1859. Yet, the Flying Eagle Cent remains the first type of the small cent denomination and, among these, 1857 is the official leader of the band. It is popular with set collectors who tend to ensconce the handful of different Flying Eagle Cents along with the larger, succeeding Indian Cent series. The 1857 Flying Eagle Cent is also a top attraction for type set collectors who need just one example of the design for their collections. Anyway you look at it, the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent is a true pioneer in the long-running small cent series.