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1879 $4 Gold. Flowing Hair PCGS Proof 58

Currency:USD Category:Coins & Paper Money / US Coins Start Price:10.00 USD Estimated At:10.00 - 1,000,000.00 USD
1879 $4 Gold. Flowing Hair PCGS Proof 58
From a proof only mintage of 425 coins. Housed in a PCGS grading holder, this historic nearly uncirculated quality Four-Dollar gold piece, or "Stella" as it came to be known, was proposed to solve a couple of problems facing the United States system of coinage in the 1870s. The first was to make a coin whose "intrinsic measure and value" as part of the design was sufficient to make it useful as an international trade coin. The other, as a bone tossed to the silver "interests" as they were called, was to strike these in an alloy that used either 4% silver or 10% silver, thereby increasing sales of this semi-precious metal by the silver mining states. For all its intended merits, the Stella project was soon abandoned. But only after 425 1879 Flowing Hair coins were minted, split into two groups, 25 of which are considered "originals" and made in 1879, followed by 400 strikes from the same dies made in 1880 after Congressmen got involved in the proposal and wanted representative samples, for purely altruistic purposes. This is among the most eye-catching Proof 63 examples bidders will see or third-party graders will certify. It has nice reflective "mirrors" that have a hint of satiny luster typical of the issue. The presence of faint striations running diagonally through Liberty's upper hair is also entirely consistent with the series of $4 coins.

On the present specimen, there is some central weakness which is diagnostic. No doubt this was a pocket piece at one time and still comes down to us this day from the family from which it descended the past 100 plus years. As noted numismatic author David Tripp has pointed out, though most of these coins were saved, a few pieces made it into circulation, having been passed by members of Congress to proprietresses of Washington's bordellos. An endlessly-popular denomination, the 1879 Flowing Hair $4 Stella has long been prized as an integral part of a complete United States gold coin collection or Type set.

Extremely desirable in this grade, with only 15 coins graded in AU58 at both services, and with finer coins extremely expensive, this is a rare opportunity for a collector to obtain this legendary coin.