(1856) 1C Flying Eagle Cent. Copper, No date or Legend. J-179 PCGS PR66+BN (PHOTO SEAL & CAC)

Superb Gem Proof (15: 5,5,5) BN. The famous and awe-inspiring No Date Flyer! The finest known. Only ten examples known. This is one of the top prizes among the Flying Eagle pattern set. The lack of the issuing country and date make the eagle fly against a wide open field, making a great impression similar to the Gobrecht dollar which inspired the design.

The coin is mark-free and the fields have very good mirrors. Like many early strikes of pattern dies, the fields show distinct die striations. This comes from the initial polishing of the dies and they tend to fade quickly as coins are struck. The reverse die is the same die and die state that struck the Snow-5 1856 Flying Eagle cents, which are considered to be the original proof striking. This is identified by the centering dot under the left serif of the N in CENT.