
1856 Flying Eagle Penny
At first glance, you’d probably assume this penny is extra valuable because of the gorgeous flying eagle minted on it. While the appearance is one that strikes a feeling of patriotism into the hearts of all Americans, that isn’t the main reason why it’s so valuable. The U.S. Mint struggled with the cost of mintage for this coin. The 4.70-gram coin was originally much larger, but the size was reduced and nickel was mixed with the copper to help reduce costs. These iconic coins were replaced fairly quickly with the popular Indian Head pennies, so they were only in rotation for a short time. All these factors have significantly raised the value of these pennies, and experts believe they could sell for nearly $150,000 today!