Circulation Strike:

The first examples of the 1857 Flying Eagle Cent were released to the public on May 25, 1857, amid much excitement. At the Philadelphia MInt two facilities were set up in the yard to distribute them, and long lines formed as citizens sought the new pieces. Over 17.4 million examples were eventually struck. PCGS has certified just 22 coins at the MS-66 grade and none rank finer at either of the top grading services.

Proof Strike:

The second year 1857 Flying Eagle cent is a rarity in Proof, certainly multiple times more rare than the more widely known 1856 Flying Eagle cent. The date has an estimated Proof mintage of just 50 pieces with perhaps as few as 20 to 30 actually known today. Indeed, the Bowers reference on the series notes:

True Proofs are very rare, more so than generally realized. Walter Breen, Encyclopedia of Proof Coins, pg. 104, states most were made in May 1857 from a die with file marks over NI of UNITED, one file mark joining left upright of N to rim. All known 1857 Proofs are of the Style of 1857 Lettering. These were probably released to collectors on or after May 25, 1857 (the day that circulation strikes were first distributed to the eager public)....it may be that fewer than 20 to 30 true Proofs are known of this date, and estimates range as low as 10 to 20.

View 1857 Flying Eagle Cent Auction Results

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in May 2019 Sale, where it realized $38,400.