Pennies That Can Fetch You A Lot More Money Than Their Face Value

1856 Flying Eagle Penny Front

The price of copper in 1856 made a penny even more expensive to produce than its real value. Back then, the coin weighed 4.7 grams! At the time, the coin had a 19 mm diameter, making it nearly as big as the present-day nickel. This was the reason the U.S. Mint decided to make it smaller.

1856 Flying Eagle Penny Front

1856 Flying Eagle Penny Back

The Flying Eagle penny was only in production from 1856 to 1858. The U.S. Mint only made 2,000 of these coins in 1856, which makes those coins even rarer. In January 2004, a pristine Flying Eagle Penny from that year went for $172,500. Heritage Auctions made the sale in Orlando.

1856 Flying Eagle Penny Front Back