Home U.S. Coin Forum

1858 Flying Eagle Cent... Am I missing something?

coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,739 ✭✭✭✭✭
This was inside an album that I purchased for the Morgan's only.
This one and a few other coins were in it as well so they were basically for free.
I decided to check and see what's selling on Ebay and I don't quite understand why it is selling for so much?image
Is it because of the unclaimed property sales?

Ebay link


Now for my picture...
Is it large or small letters and the grade(value)

image

Comments

  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have no idea why the scary one on eBay went for so much. Bidder insanity, perhaps.

    I can't see the picture of yours since it is a Photobucket image and my server at work blocks those, so I can't help you with grade.

    Small Letters versus Large Letters is easy enough to determine, though: look at the bases of the A and M in AMERICA. If they're connected, you have a Large Letters coin. If they're separated, it's Small Letters.

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Numismedia trend values on Flying Eagle cents

    Small Letters:

    image

    Large Letters:

    image

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,739 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I have no idea why the scary one on eBay went for so much. Bidder insanity, perhaps.

    I can't see the picture of yours since it is a Photobucket image and my server at work blocks those, so I can't help you with grade.

    Small Letters versus Large Letters is easy enough to determine, though: look at the bases of the A and M in AMERICA. If they're connected, you have a Large Letters coin. If they're separated, it's Small Letters. >>




    Thank you very much for your help.
    I like the fair market value link. Do you subscribe for the higher values? Is it worth it?
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I don't subscribe for the higher values- I just use the PCGS Priceguide for those. Numismedia is more useful than PCGS Priceguide for circ stuff, though.

    (Some will argue that neither is very useful, but hey, they're both free and online, and I personally find them helpful from time to time.)

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • coinsarefuncoinsarefun Posts: 21,739 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I don't subscribe for the higher values- I just use the PCGS Priceguide for those. Numismedia is more useful than PCGS Priceguide for circ stuff, though.

    (Some will argue that neither is very useful, but hey, they're both free and online, and I personally find them helpful from time to time.) >>





    Oh, by the way thanks for the advise as well, I have large lettersimage
  • lordmarcovanlordmarcovan Posts: 43,608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Cool.

    Back in my YN days, my first Flyin' Eagle was an 1858-LL. Saved my allowance for a couple weeks to buy it, a VG coin, for seven dollars.

    'Twas the summer of '77.

    Aahh, Memory Lane...

    Explore collections of lordmarcovan on CollecOnline, management, safe-keeping, sharing and valuation solution for art piece and collectibles.
  • Sometimes such liquidation auctions bring out crazy buyers and coins end up going for more than retail like this example you have spotted. You would think there would be good deals at such auctions since the crowd may be a little less knowledgeable on coins. But if I didn't know any better, I'd think a dateless Buffalo Nickel were worth $10. A Flying Eagle Cent? Never even heard of it. It must be worth TONS of money! I never see them in circulation, so it must be worth a lot.

    Yet these same bidders who bid $40 on this Flying Eagle Cent might pass on an authentic 1870-S Half Dime for $1,000. Knowledge.

    I'm not saying that is what those bidders were thinking. I don't know who those bidders were. But this is the only logical scenario I can come up with.
    A lie told often enough becomes the truth. ~Vladimir Lenin
  • curlycurly Posts: 2,880

    Sister, you might pm Eagle Eye or BWRC and ask them to take a look at yours. Believe me, they'll know.
    Every man is a self made man.
  • ziggy29ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭
    For whatever reason (some would claim shills), this seller in particular (among other government unclaimed property auctions) seem to have their items bid up to ridiculous levels with regularity.
  • LakesammmanLakesammman Posts: 17,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I can see a outline of the virgin mary corroded into the eagle - I'd have paid $50! image
    "My friends who see my collection sometimes ask what something costs. I tell them and they are in awe at my stupidity." (Baccaruda, 12/03).I find it hard to believe that he (Trump) rushed to some hotel to meet girls of loose morals, although ours are undoubtedly the best in the world. (Putin 1/17) Gone but not forgotten. IGWT, Speedy, Bear, BigE, HokieFore, John Burns, Russ, TahoeDale, Dahlonega, Astrorat, Stewart Blay, Oldhoopster, Broadstruck, Ricko, Big Moose.
  • DoctorPaperDoctorPaper Posts: 616 ✭✭✭
    Actually, I'm wondering if the eBay cent is struck a bit offcenter. It looks like between about 4-10 o'clock on the obverse there's a small unstruck area (or maybe it's just the side of the coin-tough to tell). In either case, seems like crazy money.
    Wisconsin nationals: gotta love 'em....
  • RussRuss Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I decided to check and see what's selling on Ebay and I don't quite understand why it is selling for so much? >>



    It's called shills.

    Russ, NCNE

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file