1856 Flying Eagle Cent PCGS PR63 GOLD CAC & CMQ - Old 7 digit Cert
The 1856 Flying Eagle cent was not an official circulation coin. It was intended for presentation to members of Congress, Mint officials, and influential decision-makers to secure approval for the new design and coin size. These coins were envisioned as replacements for the costly copper large cents first struck in 1793.
A vividly toned, beautiful example of the historic and popular 1856 Flying Eagle cent. Both sides are dressed in originality. On the obverse, a light red drapes the Eagle's feathers , with light traces of blue and yellow on the periphery. At direct lighting angles the surfaces light up light blue and yellow-gold hues that accentuate the eye appeal. The strike is razor sharp and the surfaces are exceptionally smooth for the assigned grade. This is the sole finest known of 3 Gold CAC'd examples for the date, indicating this coin is, at minimum, solid as a PR64, and would cross to CACG at no less than PR64. You may notice the old 7 digit cert, now with a 0 in the beginning, indicating this was previously an old holdered coin that was reholdered due to damage. The grade of this coin was given decades ago, and it would assuredly grade at least 64 if resubmitted today.
In the Heritage 2025 summer ANA sale , there were two PR64 examples, one without CAC and one stickered, that just sold for as much as we are asking for this one. One was not stickered but it was a scarce S-2 variety, but plagued with several dark and noticeable carbon spots all over the coin, and that one sold for $30,000 even. The other PR64, with a CAC sticker, had some light spotting on the reverse and a small scratch in the obverse field, and still managed to bring $31,200. That coin was the more available S-9, and that APR makes this coin look like a creaming bargain. We don't understand how the guides haven't changed to reflect that, but it seems like the momnet there's a weak APR of a specific issue, the guides drop like a rock.
PCGS Population - 210/311
PCGS Price Guide - $32,500 (PR-63) , $37,500 (PR-64)
CAC Guide (???) - $23,000 (PR-63) $26,000 (PR-64)