1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 Proof

The 1878 Morgan Dollar 7 Tailfeathers Reverse of 1879 Proof represents the third and final 1878 reverse hub configuration in proof format, struck at the Philadelphia Mint late in the inaugural Bland-Allison Act production year using the revised reverse hub that George T. Morgan introduced ahead of the regular 1879 production season. The Mint did not separately record per-subtype proof mintages across the three 1878 reverse hub revisions, so the 7TF Reverse of 1879 proof figure is not independently documented in the Mint Director's annual report. Survival estimates place the population well below 50 certified examples, making this the scarcest of the three 1878 reverse-subtype proofs across modern grading service records.

Authentication of an 1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 Proof requires careful examination of the eagle breast configuration, arrow feather orientation, and surface character under five to ten power magnification. The Reverse of 1879 hub shows a rounded eagle breast and slanted arrow feathers, distinguishing it from the earlier Reverse of 1878 hub with its flat eagle breast and parallel arrow feathers. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC apply rigorous standards for 1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 Proof authentication, and pedigree documentation routinely accompanies confirmed examples. Cameo and Deep Cameo designations are scarce within the small surviving population, with most examples showing brilliant rather than frosted device contrast typical of early Morgan proof production.

The 1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 Proof is a regular-classification proof entry on this site under the standard catalog convention for Morgan proofs, with the rarity narrative carried in the prose rather than the badge tier. The 1878 7TF Reverse of 1879 Proof is the scarcest of the three 1878 reverse-subtype proofs and pairs with the 1878 8 Tailfeathers Proof and the 1878 7TF Reverse of 1878 Proof as the matched first-year proof set documenting the inaugural Morgan reverse hub revisions. Auction records for confirmed examples regularly clear five-figure prices in the Proof-64 through Proof-66 Cameo grade range. For the Bland-Allison Act of 1878 background and the 1878 reverse hub revisions, see the Morgan Dollar series history.