1878 7TF Reverse of 1879

The 1878 7 Tail Feathers Reverse of 1879 is the third and largest of the three 1878 Philadelphia reverse subtypes, struck after Chief Engraver William Barber further refined the seven-feather eagle reverse to the configuration that became the standard for the rest of the Morgan Dollar series. The Reverse of 1879 shows a rounded eagle breast with concave feather lines that contrast with the flatter parallel breast on the earlier Reverse of 1878. The combined 1878 Philadelphia mintage across all three reverse subtypes was 10,509,550 pieces; the Reverse of 1879 share is the bulk of the year's production, since this hub became the standard before year-end.

Authentication of a Reverse of 1879 claim turns on the eagle's breast and tail feathers under five to ten power magnification. The breast is rounded and shows concave feather lines; the tail feathers count to seven; the wreath and lettering at the top reverse match the configuration that carried through the 1879 production runs and beyond. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC both attribute the variety in their slabs. Most surviving examples grade VF to MS64 from circulation and broken Treasury bag releases, with MS65 condition-scarce because of the heavy 26.73-gram planchet's tendency to acquire bag marks in storage.

The 1878 7 TF Reverse of 1879 is a regular issue and the most-available of the three 1878 Philadelphia reverse subtypes. Pricing has held flat at the lowest level of the three at every grade. The Reverse of 1879 is the standard collector pickup for a single 1878 Philadelphia entry, with subtype specialists adding the 8 TF and Reverse of 1878 to complete the inaugural-year design progression. Certified slabs from PCGS or NGC with the VAM attribution noted on the holder are the standard purchase route at any meaningful price level, since variety counterfeits and misattributions both circulate in the raw market. The Van Allen-Mallis attribution system catalogues every documented Morgan die marriage, and the Top 100 Morgan VAM register identifies the most-collected varieties for specialist collectors. For the Bland-Allison Act backdrop and the longer hub-modification story, see the Morgan Dollar series history.