1858 Flying Eagle Cent - Circulated

This small copper coin was the first ‘Small Cent’ in U.S. History that would replace the even smaller half-cent and the massive Large Cent that had been in use throughout the United States. Not only did these coins replace our everyday cent pieces, but it was also released during the same time-frame in which the United States stopped allowing Spanish (and other foreign coins) to be circulated amongst American coinage!

The major reason for this change was in 1856 the cost of copper had exceeded the actual denomination value of the Large-Cent coin, which resulted in the United States Mint created a much smaller cent to replace the “Large Cent”: this replacement coin eventually became our modern day penny!