By: Mobin
The Coiled Hair Stella was produced only in the single year of 1880 before the design was discontinued.
Created by George Morgan, the motif featured an unusual coiled hair portrait as part of a gold coin denomination experiment.
Records show only 25 examples were made of the 1880 $4 Stella, cementing its place as a major rarity.
As a pattern coin, the Stellas were prototypes and most never entered circulation, adding to their intrigue.
Today only about 12 authenticated specimens of the 1880 Coiled Hair Stella are known to collectors and command six figure prices.
The $4 gold denomination was unconventional and never progressed beyond the trial status.
As the lowest mintage issue, the 1880 Coiled Hair Stella stands out as the undisputed key to the short-lived series.