The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 1, January 7, 2007, Article 6

1855 FLYING EAGLE PATTERN SET INFORMATION SOUGHT

E-Sylum subscriber R. V. Dewey has been researching a flying eagle
cent pattern (J-171) which he acquired directly from Abe Kosoff many
years ago.  Based on his research and earlier E-Sylum discussions he
traces the coin back to the King Farouk collection and has dubbed his
coin "The Farouk Flyer."  He writes:

"In the Judd pattern book (5th edition, page 44), the author states
that there are "very rare complete sets" of 1855 flying eagles. These
sets are numbered I to VIII in Roman numerals. Each set contains eight
pieces, supposedly one of each alloy struck in 1855.  But today more
than eight alloys are recognized. So why did these "complete sets" have
only eight pieces?

"Is it possible these recently discovered alloys were surreptitiously
struck from the original Mint dies by someone unaware of the eight-piece
"complete sets"?  Dr. Judd says rare set(s), plural, numbered I-VIII.
Were the "sets" Dr. Judd knew of all missing the same numbers nine and
ten, or did alloys nine and ten not exist in 1855?

"The Mint die used for the limited copper strikes like the J-167, would
still be in excellent condition to make flyers from any available alloy
at any time. When was German silver used/available?

"How many sets were made with the roman numerals in the obverse field?
Who got these sets? Do any complete sets exist today?  Do any auction
records document the sale of complete sets?    Any individual Flyers
with roman numerals? Do photographs exist?  Which Roman numeral is the
J-171 stamped with?  What is the size and where is the number located?
Does anyone possess auction photographs (with or without Roman numerals)
of the J-171/Nickel-looking flying eagle large cent? Any J-171 photographs
from private collections, old or new?

Thank you, E-Sylum readers for entertaining my questions! Where else
could anyone ask these questions and actually expect to get an answer?"

[R.V. asks a lot of interesting questions, but perhaps our readers have
some answers.  I hadn't recalled reading this tidbit about the roman-
numeraled special sets.  This note is not in the eighth edition of Judd
(Whitman, 2003).  I couldn't find a reference to them in the Pollack
pattern book, either.  But the seventh edition Judd does include this
note.  So where are these coins today?  -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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