| Description: |
A satiny golden gem with strong lustre and equally impressive eye appeal. Repunching is
plainly evident at the date, especially so at the 8 and 5. The only acknowledged variety
from within the group of eight known "Obverse of 1856” dies; the others are without
special die qualities such as repunching (as here) or doubling. Probably among the first
of the 1857 Flying Eagle circulation strike issues (see below). Regarding this variety,
Snow wrote in his 2001 update that "These are quite scarce and in high demand,”
later noting "Probably no more than 100 known.” Snow goes on to cite two MS-66
specimens graded by PCGS as the finest examples known to him. With that in mind (and the
fact that only 11 examples of the date have been graded finer by PCGS without benefit of
variety attribution), the present coin could well be a Condition Census example of Snow-1.
In fact, this beauty was the plate coin in the Snow reference, and again in the
Steve-Flynn reference. It almost seems the present coin can do no wrong; it is beautiful
and highly photogenic, the strike is strong, and the variety is unmistakable. A grand way
to begin this world-class Flying Eagle and Indian cent offering.Obverse 1: AM are slightly
separated, thin dentils above AMERIReverse C: Right leaf near T of CENT lower than
usualThe eight known dies from the obverse style of 1856 exhibit an early style of
lettering; most notably the O in OF is "boxy” and squared, as it is on genuine 1856
Flying Eagle cents. Later die styles of 1857-58 have a distinctly rounded O in OF. In his
A Buyer’s and Enthusiast’s Guide to Flying Eagle and Indian Cents, author Q. David
Bowers (1996) noted the following about this obverse style: "1857 with obverse
letters in the style of 1856. Snow-1 and 2, Fivaz-Stanton 1-001, FND-008 (for obverse with
repunched date). Discovered by ANACS; earlier (1921) unknowingly reported by Commodore
W.C. Eaton. It is believed that these were made very early in 1857 and were among the
first 1857 Flying Eagle cents struck.” |
