1858 1C Large Letters PR65 Certification #58619547, PCGS #2042

1858 (Large Letters) 1C PR65 PCGS CAC EEPS, PR1 Die Variety. Provenance: Ex Screaming Eagles and Boulder City. This 1858 Flying Eagle cent, graded PR65 with a CAC endorsement, is an exceptional example of a rare proof issue. This variety is a notable rarity, with an estimated mintage of only 100 proofs and approximately 50 survivors known today. The key to identifying a genuine 1858 Large Letters proof lies in its specific die diagnostics. Unlike the more common mint state coins which are often mistaken for proofs, this coin is confirmed as the sole proof die variety (PR1) by a combination of subtle markers: 1) Date slants up and to the right 2) Very minor doubling on "UNI" of "UNITED" 3) Diagonal die file marks in the denticles below the "18" and "58" in the date 4) A minute die file mark on the reverse, located just to the left of the 12 o'clock position. Considering CAC-endorsed examples, there are only five other CAC-endorsed coins sharing its PR65 grade and six graded higher (1 PR65+, 3 PR65+CAM, 2 PR66CAM).

Jaime Hernandez

This is the lowest mintage Proof Flying Eagle cent. It is much scarcer than the more widely recognized1856 Proof cent. With a mintage of about 100 pieces, the 1858 Large Letters Proof Flying Eagle Cent is considered a truly scarce coin. Despite having a very small mintage, far fewer are known to exist. As of 2011, possibly less than 50 examples survive in all grades combined.