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4 Dollars '1880 Stella' Pattern, gold
| Issuer | United States Mint |
|---|---|
| Year | 1880 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 7 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | At center, a large five-pointed star occupies the field, bearing the inscriptions ONE, STELLA, a decorative scroll, 400, and CENTS arranged vertically within its points. The motto E PLURIBUS UNUM appears along the upper periphery, while the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the design at the outer rim. The denomination FOUR DOL. is inscribed at the lower rim. The religious motto DEO EST GLORIA (Glory be to God) appears flanking the central star. The reverse is boldly designed with fine detail consistent with proof pattern coinage. |
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| Reverse lettering | UNITED STATES OF AMERICA E PLURIBUS UNUM ONE STELLA 400 CENTS DEO EST GLORIA FOUR DOL. |
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| Additional information |
The Stella was the brainchild of Congressman John Kasson, who championed a universal coinage that would trade at par with the French 20-franc piece, the Italian 20-lira, and other metric gold coins circulating across Europe. Congress never authorized it for general issue, and the pattern was struck in 1879 and 1880 purely to demonstrate the concept to legislators — most of whom remained unconvinced.
Two competing designs were produced across both years, by Charles Barber and George Morgan respectively. The Flowing Hair type by Morgan is considerably scarcer in 1880, with surviving population figures suggesting fewer than a dozen genuine examples.