1856 1C PR65 PCGS. Eagle Eye Photo Seal. Snow-3....

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Snow-3 1856 Flying Eagle Cent, PR65
Popular First-Year Type Coin

1856 1C PR65 PCGS. Eagle Eye Photo Seal. Snow-3. The Snow-3 is one of the most sought-after varieties among all 1856 Flying Eagle cents. Although the present piece is certified as a Gem proof, many or most specialist collectors regard the Snow-3 as the "Mint State" format 1856 Flying Eagle cent.
Rick Snow considers this variety to be the original 1856 issue, writing in his attribution guide to the series: "By correlating the surviving population of this issue with the historical record, it is nearly certain that this issue makes up most or all of the 634 specimens originally distributed to Congress to help promote passage of the pending coinage bill."
Most high grade examples of the 1856 Flying Eagle cent are from Snow-9 dies. Specialists such as Rick Snow believe the Snow-9 pieces are restrike proofs, made unofficially (and perhaps surreptitiously) by the Mint between late 1857 and 1860 to meet the growing collector demand for the already famous issue.
In contrast, the Snow-3 pieces went into the hands of non-numismatists, who in many cases mishandled or spent them, unaware of their importance. PCGS has certified examples in grades as low as AG3. The Snow-3 cents were coined as business strikes, to demonstrate how the design would appear in commerce. Unlike the present lot, they often are encountered with indifferent strikes. Snow writes, "Nearly all examples show ... weak breast feathers on the obverse and rounded edges on the reverse devices, usually on the cotton leaves."
Originally minted as a pattern, the issue has been adopted into the regular Flying Eagle-Indian cent series, and is ardently collected by first-year type collectors as well. The present coin is a spectacular example, with brightly reflective peach-red fields, highlighted by shades of lavender. The borders display blushes of honey-gold. The striking details are sharp on all design elements, including the edge of the tail, the eagle's beak, and the veins in the cotton leaves, all of which are often lightly impressed on business strikes of this coveted issue. Population: 43 in PR65, 2 finer (8/10).
From The Westmoreland County Collection, Part Three.(Registry values: N7079)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 227A, PCGS# 2037, GSID# 15311)

Metal: 88% Copper, 12% Nickel
Weight: 4.67 grams
Weight: 0.14496oz

View all of [The Westmoreland County Collection, Part Three ]

View Certification Details from PCGS