1879-O $20 Liberty PCGS XF40
2026/10/05
too many misfires
2026/10/05
Excellent service and great prices.
2026/10/05
Nice transaction and easy
2026/10/02
again problems when checking out almost enough to make me stop
2026/10/02
For whatever reason you only allow 5 minutes to setup an account with banking info and to pay. With all the verifications that had to be done it took me 2 phones and at minimum 6 tries....that's annoying. We usually shop with APMEX and everything isn't on a timed rushed situation which makes for a much smoother process.
2026/10/02
east process
Introduction
The 1879-O $20 Liberty Head Double Eagle graded PCGS XF40 is a scarce New Orleans gold issue with a mintage of just 2,325 coins. It holds a distinctive place in the series as the only Type III Liberty Head Double Eagle struck at the New Orleans Mint and the final $20 gold coin ever produced at the facility. Its XF40 grade preserves considerable design detail from an issue that is most often encountered in circulated condition.
History
Designed by U.S. Mint Chief Engraver James B. Longacre, the Liberty Head Double Eagle was introduced in 1850 following the California Gold Rush. The $20 denomination provided an efficient way to convert large quantities of gold into federal coinage and became important for banking, large commercial transactions, and international trade.
The New Orleans Mint ceased coinage operations during the Civil War and did not resume production as a U.S. branch mint until 1879. That year, it struck Double Eagles for the first time since 1861. Production was extremely limited, with only 2,325 examples of the 1879-O Double Eagle struck from a single known pair of dies.
The 1879-O is particularly significant because it is the only Type III Liberty Head Double Eagle produced at New Orleans. Introduced in 1877, the Type III design replaced the abbreviated reverse denomination TWENTY D. with TWENTY DOLLARS. No additional Double Eagles were struck at New Orleans after 1879, making this issue both the first New Orleans Double Eagle since 1861 and the final Double Eagle ever produced at the facility.
Design
The obverse features James B. Longacre's left-facing portrait of Liberty wearing a coronet inscribed LIBERTY. Thirteen stars representing the original states surround the portrait, with the date 1879 positioned below.
The reverse depicts a heraldic eagle with a Union shield on its breast, holding arrows and an olive branch. The motto IN GOD WE TRUST appears above the eagle within an arrangement of stars and rays. The inscriptions UNITED STATES OF AMERICA and TWENTY DOLLARS identify the issuing nation and denomination, while the O mintmark identifies the New Orleans Mint.
| Year | 1879 |
|---|---|
| Metal | Gold |
| Grade | XF40 |
| Mint | New Orleans |
| Weight | 0.9675 |
| Fineness | .900 |
| Diameter | 34mm |
