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 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,331 |
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Valued Member
United States
236 Posts |
Well, I would like to add some interesting tidbits (beautifu) on how the Flying Eagle cent came into existence. Back in 1855 this beautiful eagle lighted himself on the window sill of the US mint in Philadelphia. He had an injury-probably received in battle with another eagle. He sat there a few days and the mint employees began to notice him. They opened the window briefly during the winter month- and put scraps of their lunch on the window sill for this eagle. This went on for several days- and into a few weeks. By the time spring arrived, the employees had the window fully opened and one day, this gorgeous eagle flew right into the mint. He soared around the inside perimeter of the mint and pas Mr Longacre's desk. The artist that Longacre was, caused him to quickly sketch the eagle in flight. This sketch lay on his desk for some time until someone suggested that longacre make a sculptored image.-Which he did. And of course, the mint director caused a new coin to be minted. Now this eagle felt quite at home within the mint- afterall these people were his friends. They continued to feed him from their lunches until one day he had another accident and got his wings caught in some machinery- The final outcome was that the bird had to meet its end. Now It has been years and years-over 45 since I first learned of this occurence. However, until a few years ago, if your were to visit the Mint in Philadelphia - This mounted Flying Eagle was stationed over the entrance to the inside of the mint to greet one and all who came. -- There could be someone else on the forum who knew of this historicl event. IF so- announce yourself and help validate what I have just told. with any additions that I may have left out. habiru001 Edited by habiru001
03/29/2006 9:51 pm
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Forum Dad
 United States
24163 Posts |
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Valued Member
 United States
236 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by bobby131313
Cool story, but..
quote:
Designed by James B. Longacre, the Flying Eagle motif was actually an adaptation of the Christian Gobrecht/Titian Peale design used on pattern dollars twenty years before.
http://www.coincommunity.com/coin_h...ng_eagle.asp
Thank you Bobby, I knew I was forgetting something. You are so correct- I knew there was something else in the back of these subterraenean crevices- but the haze of years got me- I was simply tellinf off the top of those grey cells. habiru001 |
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Forum Mom
United States
5877 Posts |
There are a lot of cool stories associated with our coinage that end up being more rumor than truth. The commonly accepted story of the moral outrage about the exposed breast on the Standing Liberty quarter and that the design was changed for that reason is another one of them.  |
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New Member
United States
9 Posts |
I have a 1857 Flying Cent it was graded by ANACS and it says "whizzed" on the slab, does this take away from the value of the coin?
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by JENNIFER8
I have a 1857 Flying Cent it was graded by ANACS and it says "whizzed" on the slab, does this take away from the value of the coin?
Well, yes, since it's an altered coin, not in original condition. However, I'm also a FE collector and I have found a paucity of Flying Eagle cents in ANY slab. I receive a daily ebay subscription notice on all new FE Cents listings and 98% (99%?) of all auctions are for raw FEs. 1857s and 1858s are the most common, so I presume collectors don't want to spend the ten to twenty dollars to get a ten dollar coin slabbed. This is unfortunate because most of the auction images are too vague to be able to make a judgement on the coins and I won't give an auction a second look if it has poor images. Alternatively, if I want to buy a Flying Eagle cent that IS is a slab, no matter what its grade, I MUST bid well over top "book value" to have any possibility of winning the auction. I lost an auction for an NGC-slabbed XF-40 1858 Large Letters by five dollars several months ago; it went for $305 (my top bid, a snipe actually, was for about $300). Book value is about $150. Slabbed FEs are just too hard to find. Fred |
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New Member
United States
9 Posts |
I purchased my FE at a local antinque auction in the town I live in the other night. I purchased a bunch of morgans some Eisenhower dollars and Peace dollars. The FE was the only coin that was slabbed. The slab says ANACS then gives some numbers and 1857 1c fe whizzed. The coin is beatiful and thats why I was wondering about the value. What do people usually pay for a coin like this? I know what I paid.... Thanks |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1626 Posts |
Its funny, The flying eagle is my favorite coin as well and I do not even own one yet. Go figure. I will get my hands on one eventually.
Tim
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New Member
United States
9 Posts |
This is my first one, just got it Friday 05/02/06
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New Member
United States
6 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by Susanlynn9
There are a lot of cool stories associated with our coinage that end up being more rumor than truth. The commonly accepted story of the moral outrage about the exposed breast on the Standing Liberty quarter and that the design was changed for that reason is another one of them.
Well many have tried to research that theory, and while it is often mentioned, nobody has ever been able to find any contemporary reference to that being the reason the breast was covered. You think if there was so much outrage and offense, that somebody would have said something about it in a newspaper or magazine... but no mention of that possible explanation can be found in print anywhere until about the 1930's. Another explanation people sometimes give was the new armor was a response to increased patriotism when we entered World War I. Again, this is an explanation after the fact and no contemporary reference confirms that theory either, but guess it's no more or less likely than the moral outrage theory. Maybe both or neither are true. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
quote:
Originally posted by troodon9999
quote:
Originally posted by Susanlynn9
There are a lot of cool stories associated with our coinage that end up being more rumor than truth. The commonly accepted story of the moral outrage about the exposed breast on the Standing Liberty quarter and that the design was changed for that reason is another one of them.
Well many have tried to research that theory, and while it is often mentioned, nobody has ever been able to find any contemporary reference to that being the reason the breast was covered. You think if there was so much outrage and offense, that somebody would have said something about it in a newspaper or magazine... but no mention of that possible explanation can be found in print anywhere until about the 1930's. Another explanation people sometimes give was the new armor was a response to increased patriotism when we entered World War I. Again, this is an explanation after the fact and no contemporary reference confirms that theory either, but guess it's no more or less likely than the moral outrage theory. Maybe both or neither are true.
It is entirely possible that it was just simply a design modification, such as the one that occurred midway through 1917 with the Walking Liberty halves. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
751 Posts |
Re: Standing Liberty I don't know if it's true, but I heard that the uncovered breast was the high point of the design and that it didn't stack well. Re: Flying Eagle I bought mine for $5. Would like to upgrade one day, but fine for now. Little more detail visible than in the scan.  Edited by texasmick
06/09/2006 12:00 pm
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New Member
United States
40 Posts |
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New Member
United States
40 Posts |
let me fix the 2nd pix
oops didn't work
it's working, just that move the bars so you can see the pix... lol
Edited by hangokid11
06/09/2006 1:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
867 Posts |
I'm kinda partial to the Flying Eagle cent myself, I've found two in the six-and-a-half years I've been at the bank. Both are pretty scuzzy looking, one is even bent, but they're mine!  Rachel [:p] |
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Rest in Peace
United States
2684 Posts |
Hi Rachael-- Long time. Off topic, but I had to put my beloved Nuisance (14 yrs old) down last Saturday, thought of Kyra and you. I've been in two wars and have had many other pets and companions, but this was the hardest thing I have ever had to go through in my life. For now, I'll just grieve; I don't plan to get another cat for a long time bacause I'm not sure I could handle this again. Back on topic, who in their right mind would keep a Flying Eagle cent in circulation? Working at a bank has its advantages, but to find an FE in circulation must have blown you off your chair. Ever find any Indian Heads? For you, I imagine wheat cents are relatively commonplace. Fred |
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Replies: 19 / Views: 2,331 |
Posted 03/29/2006 10:02 pm
