Four Dollar gold stellas are attractive coins, but I view them as patterns, not regular issues. For that reason, I have never gone after one. This one is nice, but it is no PR-67. It has way too much cloudiness in the fields to make that grade. If you are one of those people who is obsessed with getting your coins into PCGS holders, you need to pause on this one. I think that you could get a PR-64 from PCGS.
Agreed. I think they’re a in between coin half disme gobrecht dollar Stella. 1856 FE cent. Etc. that some consider patterns. But an awful lot were struck compared to a typical pattern and they actually did circulate somewhat . Personally I think they’re attractive af and would love to own one. But out of my league. And would be just fine with a 63-4. Honestly most higher grades on the Stella I feel more often gradeflation than true eye appeal and merit. I see quite a few in the big sales and they’re available. For a price
There are slightly cheaper alternatives although you almost never see them. As patterns, the Stellas were struck in other metals. A dealer I know had three of them in gold plated bronze. They were all high grade (l recall PCGS PR-65.) and quite attractive. The price was around $50,000. Certainly not cheap but less than the pieces in gold. I have heard that relatively large numbers of Stellas were struck to convince members of Congress to vote for them. That probably explains why so many of them have impairments like hairlines.
