However, those dreams were shattered when Congress killed the denomination before it was ever actually authorized.Īs a result, $4 gold Stellas were minted for just two years, and none of the coins were issued for circulation. It was created with a lofty purpose – to compete globally with French, Spanish and other coinage.
Introduced in 1879, the $4 gold piece was named the “Stella” after the Latin word for star – a fitting name, given the large five-pointed star on the coin’s reverse.
1879 Flowing Hair Gold $4 Stella Pattern (National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History)
