In the early 1850s, the United States Mint replaced the Large Cent with the Flying Eagle Cent due to the rising cost of copper, which made the production of the Large Cent impractical. 

The design of the Flying Eagle Cent was the result of a competition held by the United States Mint won by James B. Longacre, the Chief Engraver of the Mint at the time. Longacre's design featured an eagle in flight on the obverse (front) side of the coin. The reverse (back) side depicted the denomination "ONE CENT" surrounded by a wreath. 

Due to the complexity of the design, the dies used in the minting process wore out quickly, leading to production delays and higher costs. These issues prompted the Mint to consider alternative designs for the one-cent coin. Due to its limited production period of only 3 years, the Flying Eagle Cent has become a sought-after coin among collectors. Today, Flying Eagle Cents are considered numismatic treasures.