Only 1,500 examples of this date were produced and the 1879-O eagle is the second scarcest With Motto issue from this mint, after the 1883-O. There are fewer than 100 known with most in the EF40 to AU50 range. The 1879-O eagle is very rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and it is unique in Uncirculated.

This coin seemingly never circulated but, as is typical with the issue, the surfaces are “choppy” from having been shipped loose in a bag. The luster is a blend of frost and semi-prooflike reflectiveness with nice orange-gold color which deepens towards the edges. There are some noticeable abrasions in the fields including a mark between stars three and four on the obverse and below the right wing on the reverse.

There have been no PCGS AU58 examples of this date sold at auction since April 2006 when a coin offered as Heritage 4/06: 3985 brought $20,700. The last NGC AU58 to sell at auction was Heritage 10/12: 6049, which was bid up to $24,675. I was offered another PCGS AU58 by a wholesale earlier this year for $35,000.

After years of neglect, this issue has finally become recognized as the low-mintage rarity it truly is. With finer examples unavailable, this remains a good value compared to other Liberty Head eagles.