Filed Pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2)
Registration Statement No. 333-219206

We will pay you interest monthly on your notes at a rate of 3.20% per annum from and including September 20, 2018 to but excluding the stated maturity date (September 15, 2022). Interest will be paid on the 15th day of each month. The first such payment will be made on October 15, 2018.

In addition, we may redeem the notes at our option, in whole but not in part, on the 15th day of each month on or after September 15, 2021, upon at least five business days’ prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the redemption date.

The notes are not subject to a survivor’s option to request repayment prior to the stated maturity date upon the death of a beneficial owner.

The initial price to public set forth above does not include accrued interest, if any. Interest on the notes will accrue from September 20, 2018 and must be paid by the purchaser if the notes are delivered after September 20, 2018. In addition to offers and sales at the initial price to public, the underwriters may offer the notes from time to time for sale in one or more transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to market prices or at negotiated prices.

The return (whether positive or negative) on your investment in notes will depend in part on the issue price you pay for such notes.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The notes are not bank deposits and are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other governmental agency, nor are they obligations of, or guaranteed by, a bank.

Goldman Sachs may use this prospectus in the initial sale of the notes. In addition, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of Goldman Sachs may use this prospectus in a market-making transaction in the notes after their initial sale. Unless Goldman Sachs or its agent informs the purchaser otherwise in the confirmation of sale, this prospectus is being used in a market-making transaction.

Pricing Supplement No. 179 dated September 17, 2018.

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SPECIFIC TERMS OF THE NOTES

This pricing supplement no. 179 dated September 17, 2018 (pricing supplement) and the accompanying prospectus dated July 10, 2017 (accompanying prospectus), relating to the notes, should be read together. Because the notes are part of a series of our debt securities called Medium-Term Notes, Series N, this pricing supplement and the accompanying prospectus should also be read with the accompanying prospectus supplement, dated July 10, 2017 (accompanying prospectus supplement). Terms used but not defined in this pricing supplement have the meanings given them in the accompanying prospectus or accompanying prospectus supplement, unless the context requires otherwise.

The notes are part of a separate series of our debt securities under our Medium-Term Notes, Series N program governed by our Senior Debt Indenture, dated as of July 16, 2008, as amended, between us and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee. This pricing supplement summarizes specific terms that will apply to your notes. The terms of the notes described here supplement those described in the accompanying prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus and, if the terms described here are inconsistent with those described there, the terms described here are controlling.

Terms of the Callable Fixed Rate Notes due 2022

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NOTES

Book-Entry System

We will issue the notes as a master global note registered in the name of DTC, or its nominee. The sale of the notes will settle in immediately available funds through DTC. You will not be permitted to withdraw the notes from DTC except in the limited situations described in the accompanying prospectus under “Legal Ownership and Book-Entry Issuance — What Is a Global Security? — Holder’s Option to Obtain a Non-Global Security; Special Situations When a Global Security Will Be Terminated”. Investors may hold interests in a master global note through organizations that participate, directly or indirectly, in the DTC system.

In addition to this pricing supplement, the following provisions are hereby incorporated into the global master note: the description of New York business day appearing under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Calculations of Interest on Debt Securities — Business Days” in the accompanying prospectus, the description of the following unadjusted business day convention appearing under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Calculations of Interest on Debt Securities — Business Day Conventions” in the accompanying prospectus and the section “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance” in the accompanying prospectus.

Day Count Convention

As further described under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer – Calculations of Interest on Debt Securities – Interest Rates and Interest” in the accompanying prospectus, for each interest period the amount of accrued interest will be calculated by multiplying the principal amount of the note by an accrued interest factor for the interest period. The accrued interest factor will be determined by multiplying the per annum interest rate by a factor resulting from the 30/360 (ISDA) day count convention. The factor is the number of days in the interest period in respect of which payment is being made divided by 360, calculated on a formula basis as follows:

where:

“Y₁” is the year, expressed as a number, in which the first day of the interest period falls;

“Y₂” is the year, expressed as a number, in which the day immediately following the last day included in the interest period falls;

“M₁” is the calendar month, expressed as a number, in which the first day of the interest period falls;

“M₂” is the calendar month, expressed as a number, in which the day immediately following the last day included in the interest period falls;

“D₁” is the first calendar day, expressed as a number, of the interest period, unless such number would be 31, in which case D₁ will be 30; and

“D₂” is the calendar day, expressed as a number, immediately following the last day included in the interest period, unless such number would be 31 and D₁ is greater than 29, in which case D₂ will be 30.

When We Can Redeem the Notes

We will be permitted to redeem the notes at our option before their stated maturity, as described below. The notes will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund – that is, we will not deposit money on a regular basis into any separate custodial account to repay your note. In addition, you will not be entitled to require us to buy your note from you before its stated maturity.

We will have the right to redeem the notes at our option, in whole but not in part, on the 15th day of each month on or after September 15, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the outstanding principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the redemption date. We will provide not less than

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five business days’ prior notice in the manner described under “Description of Debt Securities We May Offer — Notices” in the attached prospectus. If the redemption notice is given and funds deposited as required, then interest will cease to accrue on and after the redemption date on the notes. If any redemption date is not a business day, we will pay the redemption price on the next business day without any interest or other payment due to the delay.

What are the Tax Consequences of the Notes

You should carefully consider, among other things, the matters set forth under “United States Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus. The following discussion summarizes certain of the material U.S. federal income tax consequences of the purchase, beneficial ownership, and disposition of each of the notes. This summary supplements the section “United States Taxation” in the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and is subject to the limitations and exceptions set forth therein.

Interest on a note will be taxable to a U.S. holder as ordinary interest income at the time it accrues or is received in accordance with the U.S. holder’s normal method of accounting for tax purposes.

Upon the disposition of a note by sale, exchange, redemption or retirement (i.e., if we exercise our right to call the notes or otherwise) or other disposition, a U.S. holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss equal to the difference, if any, between (i) the amount realized on the disposition (other than amounts attributable to accrued but unpaid interest, which would be treated as such) and (ii) the U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in the note. A U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in a note generally will equal the cost of the note (net of accrued interest) to the U.S. holder. The deductibility of capital losses is subject to significant limitations.

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding. Pursuant to Treasury regulations, Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) withholding (as described in “United States Taxation — Taxation of Debt Securities — Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) Withholding” in the accompanying prospectus) will generally apply to obligations that are issued on or after July 1, 2014; therefore, the notes will generally be subject to FATCA withholding. However, according to published guidance, the withholding tax described above will not apply to payments of gross proceeds from the sale, exchange, redemption or other disposition of the notes made before January 1, 2019.

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SUPPLEMENTAL PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and the underwriters for this offering named below have entered into a distribution agreement with respect to the notes. Subject to certain conditions, each underwriter named below has severally agreed to purchase the principal amount of notes indicated in the following table.

Notes sold by the underwriters to the public will initially be offered at the initial price to public set forth on the cover of this pricing supplement. The underwriters intend to purchase the notes from The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. at a purchase price equal to the initial price to public less a discount of 1.25% of the principal amount of the notes. Any notes sold by the underwriters to securities dealers may be sold at a discount from the initial price to public of up to 0.95% of the principal amount of the notes. If all of the offered notes are not sold at the initial price to public, the underwriters may change the offering price and the other selling terms. In addition to offers and sales at the initial price to public, the underwriters may offer the notes from time to time for sale in one or more transactions at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to market prices or at negotiated prices.

Please note that the information about the initial price to public and net proceeds to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. on the front cover page relates only to the initial sale of the notes. If you have purchased a note in a market-making transaction by Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other affiliate of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. after the initial sale, information about the price and date of sale to you will be provided in a separate confirmation of sale.

Each underwriter has represented and agreed that it will not offer or sell the notes in the United States or to United States persons except if such offers or sales are made by or through FINRA member broker-dealers registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. estimates that its share of the total offering expenses, excluding underwriting discounts and commissions, whether paid to Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or any other underwriter, will be approximately $15,000.

We will deliver the notes against payment therefor in New York, New York on September 20, 2018. Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in two business days, unless the parties to any such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade notes on any date prior to two business days before delivery will be required to specify alternative settlement arrangements to prevent a failed settlement.

The provision regarding the market-making activities of Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC described under “Plan of Distribution— Market-Making Resales by Affiliates” on page 118 of the accompanying prospectus does not apply to the notes. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC does not intend to make a market in these notes. However, in the future, Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC or other affiliates of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. may decide to repurchase and resell the notes in market-making transactions, with resales being made at prices related to prevailing market prices at the time of resale or at negotiated prices. For more information about the plan of distribution and possible market-making activities, see “Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus and “Supplemental Plan of Distribution” in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

The notes are a new issue of securities with no established trading market. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has been advised by Incapital LLC that it intends to make a market in the notes. Incapital LLC is not obligated to do so and may discontinue market-making at any time without notice. No assurance can be given as to the liquidity of the trading market for the notes.

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The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. has agreed to indemnify the several underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933.

Certain of the underwriters and their affiliates have in the past provided, and may in the future from time to time provide, investment banking and general financing and banking services to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and its affiliates, for which they have in the past received, and may in the future receive, customary fees. The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and its affiliates have in the past provided, and may in the future from time to time provide, similar services to the underwriters and their affiliates on customary terms and for customary fees. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, one of the underwriters, is an affiliate of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Please see “Plan of Distribution—Conflicts of Interest” on page 118 of the accompanying prospectus.

Any notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement may not be offered, sold or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area. Consequently no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the “PRIIPs Regulation”) for offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore offering or selling the notes or otherwise making them available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. For the purposes of this provision:

In relation to each Member State of the European Economic Area which has implemented the Prospectus Directive (each, a “Relevant Member State”), the underwriters represent and agree that with effect from and including the date on which the Prospectus Directive is implemented in that Relevant Member State (the “Relevant Implementation Date”) it has not made and will not make an offer of notes which are the subject of the offering contemplated by this pricing supplement, the accompanying prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement to the public in that Relevant Member State except that, with effect from and including the Relevant Implementation Date, an offer of such notes may be made to the public in that Relevant Member State:

provided that no such offer of notes referred to above shall require us or any dealer to publish a prospectus pursuant to Article 3 of the Prospectus Directive.

For the purposes of this provision, the expression an “offer of notes to the public” in relation to any notes in any Relevant Member State means the communication in any form and by any means of sufficient information on the terms of the offer and the notes to be offered so as to enable an investor to decide to purchase or subscribe for the notes, as the same may be varied in that Member State by any measure implementing the Prospectus Directive in that Member State and the expression “Prospectus Directive” means Directive 2003/71/EC (as amended, including by Directive 2010/73/EU), and includes any relevant implementing measure in the Relevant Member State.

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Any invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of Section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of the notes may only be communicated or caused to be communicated in circumstances in which Section 21(1) of the FSMA does not apply to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.

All applicable provisions of the FSMA must be complied with in respect to anything done by any person in relation to the notes in, from or otherwise involving the United Kingdom.

The notes may not be offered or sold in Hong Kong by means of any document other than (i) to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong) and any rules made thereunder, or (ii) in other circumstances which do not result in the document being a “prospectus” as defined in the Companies (Winding Up and Miscellaneous Provisions) Ordinance (Cap. 32 of the Laws of Hong Kong) or which do not constitute an offer to the public within the meaning of that Ordinance; and no advertisement, invitation or document relating to the notes may be issued or may be in the possession of any person for the purpose of issue (in each case whether in Hong Kong or elsewhere) which is directed at, or the contents of which are likely to be accessed or read by, the public in Hong Kong (except if permitted to do so under the securities laws of Hong Kong) other than with respect to the notes which are or are intended to be disposed of only to persons outside Hong Kong or only to “professional investors” as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance and any rules made thereunder.

This pricing supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus have not been registered as a prospectus with the Monetary Authority of Singapore. Accordingly, this pricing supplement, along with the accompanying prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus and any other document or material in connection with the offer or sale, or invitation for subscription or purchase, of the notes may not be circulated or distributed, nor may the notes be offered or sold, or be made the subject of an invitation for subscription or purchase, whether directly or indirectly, to persons in Singapore other than (i) to an institutional investor (as defined in Section 4A of the Securities and Futures Act, Chapter 289 of Singapore (the “SFA”)) under Section 274 of the SFA, (ii) to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA) pursuant to Section 275(1) of the SFA, or any person pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, and in accordance with the conditions specified in Section 275 of the SFA or (iii) otherwise pursuant to, and in accordance with the conditions of, any other applicable provision of the SFA, in each case subject to conditions set forth in the SFA.

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a corporation (which is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) the sole business of which is to hold investments and the entire share capital of which is owned by one or more individuals, each of whom is an accredited investor, the securities (as defined in Section 239(1) of the SFA) of that corporation shall not be transferable for six months after that corporation has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer in that corporation’s securities pursuant to Section 275(1A) of the SFA, (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32 of the Securities and Futures (Offers of Investments) (Shares and Debentures) Regulations 2005 of Singapore (“Regulation 32”).

Where the notes are subscribed or purchased under Section 275 of the SFA by a relevant person which is a trust (where the trustee is not an accredited investor (as defined in Section 4A of the SFA)) whose sole purpose is to hold investments and each beneficiary of the trust is an accredited investor, the beneficiaries’ rights and interest (howsoever described) in that trust shall not be transferable for six months after that trust has acquired the notes under Section 275 of the SFA except: (1) to an institutional investor under Section 274 of the SFA or to a relevant person (as defined in Section 275(2) of the SFA), (2) where such transfer arises from an offer that is made on terms that such rights or interest are acquired at a consideration of not less than S$200,000 (or its equivalent in a foreign currency) for each transaction (whether such amount is to be paid for in cash or by exchange of securities or other assets), (3) where no consideration is or will be given for the transfer, (4) where the transfer is by operation of law, (5) as specified in Section 276(7) of the SFA, or (6) as specified in Regulation 32.

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The notes have not been and will not be registered under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan (Act No. 25 of 1948, as amended), or the FIEA. The notes may not be offered or sold, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan (including any person resident in Japan or any corporation or other entity organized under the laws of Japan) or to others for reoffering or resale, directly or indirectly, in Japan or to or for the benefit of any resident of Japan, except pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the FIEA and otherwise in compliance with any relevant laws and regulations of Japan.

The notes are not offered, sold or advertised, directly or indirectly, in, into or from Switzerland on the basis of a public offering and will not be listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other offering or regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Accordingly, neither this pricing supplement nor any accompanying prospectus supplement, prospectus or other marketing material constitute a prospectus as defined in article 652a or article 1156 of the Swiss Code of Obligations or a listing prospectus as defined in article 32 of the Listing Rules of the SIX Swiss Exchange or any other regulated trading facility in Switzerland. Any resales of the notes by the underwriters thereof may only be undertaken on a private basis to selected individual investors in compliance with Swiss law. This pricing supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement may not be copied, reproduced, distributed or passed on to others or otherwise made available in Switzerland without our prior written consent. By accepting this pricing supplement and accompanying prospectus and prospectus supplement or by subscribing to the notes, investors are deemed to have acknowledged and agreed to abide by these restrictions. Investors are advised to consult with their financial, legal or tax advisers before investing in the notes.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is an affiliate of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and, as such, will have a “conflict of interest” in this offering of notes within the meaning of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (FINRA) Rule 5121. Consequently, this offering of notes will be conducted in compliance with the provisions of FINRA Rule 5121. Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC will not be permitted to sell notes in this offering to an account over which it exercises discretionary authority without the prior specific written approval of the account holder.

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VALIDITY OF THE NOTES

In the opinion of Sidley Austin LLP, as counsel to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., when the notes offered by this pricing supplement have been executed and issued by The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. and authenticated by the trustee pursuant to the indenture, and delivered against payment as contemplated herein, such notes will be valid and binding obligations of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability (including, without limitation, concepts of good faith, fair dealing and the lack of bad faith), provided that such counsel expresses no opinion as to the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above. This opinion is given as of the date hereof and is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware as in effect on the date hereof. In addition, this opinion is subject to customary assumptions about the trustee’s authorization, execution and delivery of the indenture dated July 10, 2017, which has been filed as Exhibit 5.5 to The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.’s registration statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 10, 2017.

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