The $4 Stella was an experimental international gold coin with a star reverse, metric-alloy inscriptions, and Flowing Hair and Coiled Hair Liberty portraits.
This guide covers the four 1879–1880 catalog records. Stellas are patterns made for evaluation; they were never adopted as a regular federal denomination.
Core specifications
- Issue period
- 1879–1880
- Catalog mints
- 1
- Reported catalog mintage
- 462
- Composition
- 85% Gold - 15% Silver and Copper
- Diameter
- 22 mm
- Weight
- 7 g
An international coin proposal stops at the pattern stage
The Stella was proposed as a gold coin comparable with several European monetary units, with its metallic formula written around the obverse.
Charles E. Barber's Flowing Hair and George T. Morgan's Coiled Hair portraits share the same star reverse, but congressional adoption never followed.
Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type
Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.
The main portrait and date
Liberty faces left in either Flowing Hair or Coiled Hair form; stars separate the alloy formula around the rim and the date sits below.
Denomination, subject, and mint mark
A large five-pointed star carries ONE STELLA and 400 CENTS, surrounded by FOUR DOL. and Latin and national inscriptions.
Where the cataloged coins were made
Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.
- P — Philadelphia: 1879, 1880; 462. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
Representative issues that explain the series
Treat every Stella as a major pattern acquisition requiring exact Judd attribution, metal confirmation, and an unbroken ownership record.
- 1879 P - Flowing Hair — 425. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1879 P - Coiled Hair — 12. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1880 P - Flowing Hair — 17. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
- 1880 P - Coiled Hair — 8. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
Issue catalog
From one type coin to a complete catalog
- One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
- Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
- Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.
A note on catalog records
This page uses 4 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.
Sources
- 4 Dollars, Pattern, United States, 1879 — National Museum of American History
- Gold Eagle Coins and Their History — United States Mint
- $4 Stella category reference — PCGS CoinFacts