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What is up with this 1857 Flying Eagle Cent?
davewesen
Posts: 5,868 ✭✭✭✭✭
It does not seem to be fully struck, and has weak areas on both sides. Is it a grease filled die, an adjustment strike or a counterfeit? The weight is normal, so not a tapered planchet.
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I would say weak stuck. Not uncommon with the high relief on these coins!
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Just a weak strike I’d say
The Philadelphia Mint had persistent trouble brining up the design of FE cents. Relief was too high for the power of available equipment, and 88-12 alloy was very difficult to properly heat treat for soft planchets. These were primary reasons for the change of a Liberty portrait. The public was also confused because they associated an eagle with silver and gold coins, and the flying version was not "normal" on a US coin.
Typical weak strike. I've seen them so bad that the eagle's head is almost gone.
agree with all the above - it's a weak strike,
not a struck thru, filled die, etc., in case
anyone was wondering.......
for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
Definitely a weak strike especially seeing the reverse.
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An excellent example of a weak strike and RogerB gave good information on the problem. Cheers, RickO
So if I send it to PCGS, how do they grade it?
technical grade of XF but market grade of VF ?
I personally don't think that's a good candidate to send for grading but that's just my opinion I know people have different reasons for grading stuff and I'm not gonna judge
I sent this nice 1857 FE cent to ICG where it graded as an AU58:
This other one has a flat strike: