1879 $4 Stella


1879 $4 Stella

Coiled Hair

Judd-1638

Pollock-1838

Proof Mintage: 20
Obverse Text: 1879 | 6 * G * .3 * S * .7 * C * 7 * G * R * A * M * S *
Reverse Text: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA | FOUR DOL. | E PLURIBUS UNUM | ONE STELLA 400 CENTS | DEO EST GLORIA

This is the George T. Morgan design for the four-dollar gold Stella, with a head of Liberty facing left on the obverse, her hair braided and coiled at the back of her head. On the pieces designed by Charles E. Barber, an example of which is offered above, Liberty's hair is long and flowing. The 1879 Coiled Hair Stella is a major numismatic rarity — far rarer than its 1879 Flowing Hair counterpart — with examples seldom encountered in today's market. This type was prepared in only limited numbers, and only 12 to 15 gold impressions (Judd-1638) are believed extant. The copper strikings are equally as rare with the website uspatterns.com providing an estimate of "about a dozen known." Of the six specimens specifically traced in the 1994 reference United States Patterns and Related Issues by Andy Pollock, all but one have been gilt to simulate the gold strikings.

View 1879 Coiled Hair $4 Stella Auction Results

The example to the left was sold by Stack's Bowers Galleries in the May 2013 New Orleans ANA Auction, where it realized $646,250.

Join our mailing list

Don't miss an auction!

Subscribe to our newsletter.

 

Contact Us

West Coast Office • (800) 458-4646

Midwest Office • (800) 817-2646

East Coast Office • (800) 566-2580

info@stacksbowers.com
 

Hong Kong, China Office • +852 2117 1191

infohk@stacksbowers.com
 

Copenhagen, Denmark • +45 80 40 49 42

infodk@stacksbowers.com

Global locations

Additional representatives
available worldwide.

Follow Us




Subscribe to
Our Newsletter

We are sorry, an unexpected error occurred!
Please enter a valid email address

I'm Interested In...

Thank You!

Thank you for subscribing to the Stack's Bowers Galleries e-newsletter.