DALLAS — Nearly four dozen bids poured in for a magnificent 1879 $4 Flowing Hair until it reached $264,000 to lead Heritage Auctions’ US Coins Signature® Auction December 16-19. The 1879 Flowing Hair stella — the official name for a $4 coin — has long been included in sets alongside regular-issue coinage, and is the only pattern issue with its own section in the annual Guide Book, nestled in between the three dollar gold piece and half eagle, each of which, unlike the stella, actually circulated. Mint Director Horatio Burchard wrote to Philadelphia Mint Superintendent A. Loudon Snowden with instructions for making the Stellas and other coins that the House Committee Chairman Alexander H. Stephens wanted. His letter suggested that 20 coins be struck in the proper alloys from obverse designs that were already on hand, but 25, not 20, were minted in December 1879, possibly in the correct alloy. The stellas were sold as part of three-coin sets along with Goloid dollar and Metric silver dollars, the first of which were available in December 1879 and January 1880. An additional 100 sets were delivered in March 1880, followed by 300 more sets in May for a total of 425 sets. The example Heritage offered was graded PR66 Ultra Cameo by NGC. For more information, www.ha.com.