1879-O $10.00 PCGS AU55 CAC

This fresh-to-the-market example is remarkable for the issue as it is one of the very few 1879-O eagles that I have seen which has fully original deep natural toning. The obverse and the reverse both show deep green-gold hues that change to reddish-gold in the protected areas. The fields lack the deep, copious abrasions that are virtually always seen on this issue. There are flashes of prooflike surface within the protected area and the detail is excellent. Only 1,500 examples were made and this is the second rarest With Motto eagle from this mint, trailing only the 1883-O. In AU55, the 1883-O is now a $75,000+ coin (if you can find one) and a price ratio of around 3 to 1 makes sense for the 1879-O; an issue that was long priced at this ratio but which began to lag, price-wise, when the value for the 1883-O exploded a few years ago. At the recent Philadelphia ANA show, a dealer offered me an 1879-O in NGC AU55+ with CAC approval for nearly $30,000. I like the present example more. A very important coin for the advanced specialist.