1856 1C Snow-4 "Low Leaves" Flying Eagle Cent PCGS PR65 (PHOTO SEAL/CAC)

Gem Proof (13: 4,4,5). The finest known! A gem with good mirrors and a bright radiance. There is a slight cameo effect, but not enough to warrant the designation. The surfaces are perfect except for small mark under the CE in CENT. This is the "Low Leaves" reverse first used during the 1858 cent pattern trials.

It is a low relief die with the ONE CENT very shallow in the die. The wreath is also a low relief. The inner leaves by the C & T in CENT are lower then the earlier design, hence the moniker "Low Leaves." Only ten examples are known and most are in the PR-63 to PR-64 range. They never entered circulation, so we can assume that they were struck for and distributed to the collector market in 1858.

These constitute a distinct type of 1856 Flying Eagle. The reverse is a large enough departure from the typical 1856, that it should be its own category. With such a low mintage and distinct design, as well as being the finest example, it is certainly one of the treasures of the Wright Flyer collection. My first attribution of this example came when it was in Heritage's Long Beach sale, 5/03:5189. It was purchased by Tom Fore and was again sold at auction when Tom's collection was sold in 2016; Heritage 1/16: 5240. It then went into the Wright Flyer collection.