The New Orleans Mint, unlike its counterparts at Charlotte and Dahlonega, was equipped to produce gold denominations higher than the half eagle. Ten dollar gold pieces with an 'O' mintmark appeared in 1841, and the Louisiana facility struck double eagles alongside Philadelphia in 1850, the first year of production for twenty dollar gold. After the early years, however, the New Orleans Mint's production of double eagles slowed and became erratic. In 1860, against the backdrop of swiftly deteriorating national unity, that year's issue amounted to just 6,600 pieces.      

While the 1860-O is not accorded the 'stopper' status of issues such as the 1854-O and 1856-O, it is one of the more challenging Southern double eagles, and in better grades it proves just as elusive as its better-known predecessors.