A simply amazing Gem Proof 1855 Flying Eagle cent pattern, the finest certified of its variety by any major grading service, will highlight our July 2015 Rarities Night sale in Baltimore, Maryland. This gorgeous pattern cent is larger than the small cents issued in 1856 and later, and is a near copy of the Flying Eagle cent patterns of the preceding year, 1854, though the reverse wreath differs slightly. Also struck in copper, nickel, and German silver, the bronze Judd-173 offered in the sale is the rarest of the various metallic compositions for the design type. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of this beautiful pattern cent is its strike. Its predecessors from 1854 are often seen with flatness throughout portions of the design, but not so in this remarkable 1855 pattern. Each and every tiny detail of James Barton Longacre’s design is present – a collector could count the individual eagle feathers without effort if so inclined! The flawless surfaces and outstanding visual beauty of the piece should prove attractive to pattern enthusiasts, and we expect that more than one specialist will have an eye out for this Rarities Night highlight come July in Baltimore.
