Collection: Type 1, Flowing Hair

The $4 Gold Stella – 1879–1880 Experimental U.S. Pattern Coin

The legendary $4 Gold Stella is one of the most celebrated pattern coins in American numismatics, prized by advanced collectors for its beauty, rarity, and historical importance. Produced in 1879 and 1880, the Stella was conceived at the suggestion of Hon. John A. Kasson, U.S. minister to Austria, who envisioned a four-dollar gold piece that could circulate internationally and be easily exchanged for comparable gold denominations in France, Germany, and other European nations.

Reflecting its intended global purpose, the obverse legend displays its metallic composition in the metric system—6G .3S .7C 7 GRAMS—a unique feature among all U.S. coinage. Two distinctive obverse designs were created: the Flowing Hair type by Chief Engraver Charles E. Barber, and the Coiled Hair type by Assistant Engraver George T. Morgan, famed designer of the 1878 Morgan Silver Dollar. The reverse features a bold five-pointed star, or Stella, encircled by inscriptions including the Latin motto DEO EST GLORIA (“God is Glorious”) in place of the familiar IN GOD WE TRUST.

Though never authorized for general circulation, the Stellas were struck in limited numbers and distributed primarily to members of Congress. Estimated mintages are approximately 425 pieces for the 1879 Flowing Hair, 10 for the 1879 Coiled Hair, 15 for the 1880 Flowing Hair, and 10 for the 1880 Coiled Hair—making every surviving specimen a true rarity. Today, the $4 Gold Stella stands as one of the most coveted 19th-century U.S. gold patterns, embodying the artistry of the U.S. Mint’s Gilded Age and the ambition of America’s early efforts toward international coinage compatibility.