1879 Proof

The 1879 Morgan Dollar Proof represents the second-year Mint-produced proof entry for the series, struck at the Philadelphia Mint under formal Mint Director proof procedures with a documented mintage of 1,100 pieces per the Mint Director's annual report. The 1879 Proof carries the Reverse of 1879 hub configuration that George T. Morgan introduced late in the 1878 production sequence, with a rounded eagle breast and slanted arrow feathers replacing the original 1878 reverse details. Survival of original 1879 Proof examples remains strong relative to the modest original mintage, with PCGS and NGC certified populations confirming production-range survival across the Proof-60 through Proof-65 grade tier with smaller numbers in higher grades.

Authentication of an 1879 Proof requires careful examination of the strike quality, mirrored field character, and surface preservation under five to ten power magnification. The 1879 Proof shows fully struck Liberty hair detail, complete eagle feather definition, and deep mirror fields that distinguish formal proof production from business-strike prooflike examples. PCGS, the Professional Coin Grading Service, and NGC apply standard proof grading conventions, and Cameo and Deep Cameo designations are uncommon for 1879 Proof examples reflecting the brilliant rather than frosted device finish typical of early Morgan proof production. The 1879 Proof certifies at standard proof prices in PR-63 through PR-65 grades, with Cameo premiums applying at higher grade levels.

The 1879 Proof is a regular-classification proof entry on this site under the standard catalog convention for Morgan proofs, with the modest 1,100-piece mintage and the standard proof status reflected in the prose rather than the badge tier. The 1879 Proof pairs with the 1880 through 1904 P-mint proof sequence as the matched original-series proof production set, distinct from the three 1878 reverse-subtype proofs that precede it and the 1921 Chapman Proof that closes the series. Auction records for confirmed 1879 Proof examples cluster in four-figure prices for Proof-63 and Proof-64 grades, with stronger results at Proof-66 and above. For the Bland-Allison Act of 1878 series background and the proof production context, see the Morgan Dollar series history.