1858 Flying Eagle Cent. Small Letters, Low Leaves (Style of 1858), Type III. MS-66 (PCGS).This splendid example is fully lustrous with a lively satin to softly frosted texture to the finish. Further adorned with warm light rose and tannish-apricot patina, razor sharp striking detail and silky smooth surfaces further enhance this coins already memorable appearance. Although the two obverse hub varieties of the 1858 Flying Eagle cent are most easily distinguished by the size of the letters in the legend, in reality the design of the Small Letters has been reworked in its entirety. In addition to spacing between the letters AM in AMERICA, this variety is distinguished from its Large Letters predecessor by shallower relief to the eagle with flatter feathers and the tail raised only minimally above the surrounding field area. Most circulation strikes of this variety are paired with the Type II Low Leaves Reverse hub, the scarcer Type III hub represented here identifiable by shallow relief to the denomination ONE CENT and a wide open letter E in ONE. Our multiple offerings in this sale notwithstanding, of course, all hub varieties and combinations of the 1858 Flying Eagle cent are rare in the finest Mint State grades.
