The ONLY Proof Ike Dollar Mated Pair On A Dime & Nickel Planchet NGC PF65 UNIQUE
US $50,000
Ebay
1855 Flying Eagle cent J-171 PCGS PR60
US $19,950
Grade
PR 60
Grading service
PCGS
Cert number
—
Certification
—
Date
2026-06-09
Category
—
Sub category
—
Dealer
Description
1855 Flying Eagle "Pattern" Cent Judd-171 PCGS PR60
In the early 1850's they wanted to start making the penny smaller than the large cent (about the size of a half dollar) because of the rising cost of copper, so in 1854 and 1855 they made a small number of different designs or "patterns" trying to decide what it would look like.
Although I've never seen one they minted 100 coins in 1854, but in 1855 they stamped out 29 different "patterns", all flying eagles, but slightly different (with stars, without stars, different numbers of leaves, etc.). Judd - 167, j-168, j-172, etc. For most of them they made 20 or 80 of each. For some reason they made 400 of the 167s, with 634 total coins all together for the year. But the 170a and the 171 (this one) they only made 15 each of, making those the rarest ones. I believe the last time a 171 sold at a Heritage auction was in 1993, so it could be a long time before another one is available.
I always thought these were "small" cents, the size pennies are now, but the '55s are actually in between, about the size of a quarter, making it even more special.
In 1856 they decided on a pattern to use, and made 1800 small cents that were never circulated. They gave them to senators and governors to look at. There are still over a thousand of them left, and those sell for $50-100k depending on condition, and they are easy to find compared to the 1855s. There are believed to still be about 400 of the '55s left, but they are in private collections and rarely come up for sale.
This is a rare opportunity to own a 1 of 15 of 634 coin. Shipping price includes insurance, as packages do get lost in the mail sometimes.
There is one more thing I wanted to mention. This coin looks like it has strange ware, like it's been circulated, but it hasn't. It seems all the 171s look like that. That was just a really poor die. I've seen pictures of 171s with an even higher grade that look like that. Just one more unusual thing about this coin.
I also know that they were experimenting with different metal alloys too. The J-171 was made of 68% copper, 17% nickel, and 15% zinc. As far as I know that exact formula was never used again on any US coins.
In the early 1850's they wanted to start making the penny smaller than the large cent (about the size of a half dollar) because of the rising cost of copper, so in 1854 and 1855 they made a small number of different designs or "patterns" trying to decide what it would look like.
Although I've never seen one they minted 100 coins in 1854, but in 1855 they stamped out 29 different "patterns", all flying eagles, but slightly different (with stars, without stars, different numbers of leaves, etc.). Judd - 167, j-168, j-172, etc. For most of them they made 20 or 80 of each. For some reason they made 400 of the 167s, with 634 total coins all together for the year. But the 170a and the 171 (this one) they only made 15 each of, making those the rarest ones. I believe the last time a 171 sold at a Heritage auction was in 1993, so it could be a long time before another one is available.
I always thought these were "small" cents, the size pennies are now, but the '55s are actually in between, about the size of a quarter, making it even more special.
In 1856 they decided on a pattern to use, and made 1800 small cents that were never circulated. They gave them to senators and governors to look at. There are still over a thousand of them left, and those sell for $50-100k depending on condition, and they are easy to find compared to the 1855s. There are believed to still be about 400 of the '55s left, but they are in private collections and rarely come up for sale.
This is a rare opportunity to own a 1 of 15 of 634 coin. Shipping price includes insurance, as packages do get lost in the mail sometimes.
There is one more thing I wanted to mention. This coin looks like it has strange ware, like it's been circulated, but it hasn't. It seems all the 171s look like that. That was just a really poor die. I've seen pictures of 171s with an even higher grade that look like that. Just one more unusual thing about this coin.
I also know that they were experimenting with different metal alloys too. The J-171 was made of 68% copper, 17% nickel, and 15% zinc. As far as I know that exact formula was never used again on any US coins.
