After laying dormant for nearly two decades, the New Orleans mint reopened in 1879 and produced silver dollars, eagles and double eagles. After a paltry run of 1,500 eagles in 1879, the mintage for New Orleans eagles jumped to 9,200 in 1880. The 1880-O eagle is scarce in all grades and it is quite rare in properly graded AU55 to AU58 and it is extremely rare in Uncirculated with just five or six known.

This fresh-to-the-market example has never before been offered for sale and it has been off the market since the 1940′s (or earlier) when it was put aside by a southern banker. It shows glorious deep orange-gold color which is most intense at the obverse border. There is only the slightest amount of wear seen on the high spots of the reverse while the surfaces show only a few minor scuffs from handling. The eye appeal of this coin is off the charts and it is likely the single finest circulated 1880-O eagle that I have ever seen or owned.

Only one PCGS AU58 example has ever been sold at auction and it realized $8,050 as Stacks Bowers 3/11: 6730. An NGC AU58+ with CAC approval realized $10,350 as Heritage 9/10: 5454.

You could look for years to find a comparable 1880-O eagle and not acquire an example with as much character as this gorgeous example. This is truly a coin for the finest set of New Orleans eagles.

CAC has approved three in this grade with none finer.