The No Motto Eagles from New Orleans make an excellent set for the specialized collector. There are no “impossible” dates, although many of these issues will prove very difficult to find in the higher circulated grades, especially with good eye appeal and choice surfaces.
Production of eagles at the New Orleans mint didn’t begin until 1841; two years after the introduction of the quarter eagle, and a year after the first half eagles were struck. The so-called No Motto eagles were made at New Orleans through 1860 when production was stopped by the outbreak of the Civil War during the following year; the mint didn’t reopen until1879.
Beginning in 1879, the production of With Motto eagles began in New Orleans and it continued through 1883. After a four year hiatus, production resumed in 1888 and it continued, with interruptions through the discontinuation of this denomination at New Orleans in 1906.
No Motto coinage consists of 21 different New Orleans issues; this includes Small Date and Large Date varieties of 1854-O.
