1879 $20 Liberty Head Quintuple Stella, Judd-1643, Pollock-1843, Low R.7, PR64+ Deep Cameo PCGS....

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1879 Metric Double Eagle Pattern, PR64+ Deep Cameo
Famous Quintuple Stella, Judd-1643
Only Four Examples in Private Hands
Finest-Certified Example, Ex: Simpson

1879 $20 Liberty Head Quintuple Stella, Judd-1643, Pollock-1843, Low R.7, PR64+ Deep Cameo PCGS. Ex: Simpson. The 1879 Metric double eagle, or quintuple stella, Judd-1643, is a landmark rarity in the U.S. pattern series. The 1879 Metric double eagles are closely associated with their even more famous four-dollar pattern counterparts, the always popular stellas of 1879 and 1880, but they are much rarer. Despite inflated population data from the leading grading services, only five examples have been traced, and one of them is included in the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, forever out of reach of eager collectors. Heritage Auctions is privileged to present the finest-certified example of this sought-after pattern rarity, from the magnificent Bob R. Simpson Collection, in this important offering.

Design
The obverse features the Liberty Head profile from the regular issue double eagle, although it does not appear to be struck from the Type Three hub used for regular issue pieces. The standard diagonal die line from the hair to the left side of Y is not present, as it is on all regular issue pieces of the Type Three design. The legend is a variation of the legend on the four dollar stella, spelling out the goloid composition and weight of the coin:★ 30★ G★ 1.5★ S★ 3.5★ C★ 35★ G★ R★ A★ M★ S★ . The date is below the bust and the initials J.B.L. (James B. Longacre) are located on the bust truncation. The reverse is similar to the regular issue piece with an eagle and shield design, the legend E PLURIBUS UNUM on the scroll work to the left and right. Around, the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and below, the denomination TWENTY DOLLARS. An oval of stars and a glory of rays above the eagle contain the motto DEO EST GLORIA. This motto is different from the IN GOD WE TRUST inscription on the regular adopted design. The diameter is the same as the standard double eagle (34 mm), but the quintuple stella was designed to be slightly thicker and heavier (35 grams vs. 33.436 grams). Reportedly struck in goloid composition with a reeded edge, but we do not know of any elemental analysis that has been done to establish the composition of the known examples. However, the coin in the Trompeter sale in 1992 was weighed (before its encapsulation in a holder) and found to have the correct weight for the goloid composition of 35.01 grams. The design was also struck in copper (Judd-1644) with about a dozen specimens known, at least five of which have been gilt.

Origin and History of the Quintuple Stella
(The following is reprinted from our 2025 ANA Signature lot description). The always popular four dollar stellas of 1879 and 1880, and their even rarer 20-dollar counterpart, the 1879 quintuple stella, were part of an effort to create an international coinage that would function much like the euro does in the European Union today. Traditionally, the concept of the stella has been ascribed to the Honorable John A. Kasson, the U.S. Minister to Austria in 1879, and former chairman of the Congressional Committee on Coinage, Weights, and Measures. Kasson wrote a letter in 1879 advocating the creation of a coin that could be exchanged directly for the Austrian eight florin piece, which was worth $3.88. However, in the Spring 2015 issue of the Journal of Numismatic Research, Roger W. Burdette notes that while Kasson's letter may have provided the inspiration for a new gold coin at the critical time in 1879, the real impetus behind the creation of the stella came from Dr. William Wheeler Hubbell.
Hubbell was an advocate of the metric system and holder of the patent for the goloid alloy used on a controversial series of patterns in the late 1870s. Goloid was a composition of gold, silver, and copper, combined in various proportions. Accordingly, Hubbell proposed a four dollar stella as an approximation of Kasson's suggested $3.88 coin. The stella would have a composition of six grams of gold, 3 decigrams of silver, and 7 decigrams of copper, and a weight of 7 grams. The quintuple stella would have the same composition, with each element multiplied by five. In the same Journal of Numismatic Research article (Spring 2015), Roger Burdette notes the metric gold coinage was reported favorably to the House of Representatives on January 21, 1879 and a February 4, 1879-dated letter from Acting Mint Director Robert Preston to the Philadelphia Mint acknowledged receipt of three examples of the quintuple stella:

"Your letter of the 3rd inst., notifying this office of the shipment by Adams' Express Co. of three specimens of the Metric Double Eagle pieces for the House Committee on Coinage has been received. The coins have also been delivered by the express company."

Roger Burdette believes two other examples were struck at the same time for the Mint Cabinet. These coins were apparently later sold or traded to collectors by Mint officials. Another letter from Acting Director Preston on June 4, 1880 reports:

"There were only five Metric double eagles struck, and none of which are in the possession of this office, and as the dies have been destroyed, no more can be struck."

The 1887 Mint Collection pattern inventory by James McClure records the two quintuple stellas, but no gold specimens of this issue are mentioned in Louis Comparette's 1912 catalog of the Mint Collection. It seems all five of the 1879 quintuple stellas eventually made their way into collector's hands, but a single example has been donated back to the National Numismatic Collection by Stack's in recent times. All five pieces of the original mintage can be accounted for today (see roster below). Like the four dollar stellas, the 1879 Metric double eagle never progressed beyond the pattern stage.
Collectors became aware of the quintuple stellas soon after the coins were struck. The discovery coin was presented to Dr. William Wheeler Hubbell, the inventor of the special alloy for the international coinage program. It first appeared at auction in Philadelphia coin dealer John W. Haseltine's famous "Type Table" auction in 1881, just two years after its striking. Haseltine provided a lengthy description of the coin in lot 1490 of that sale:

"1879; Metric Gold Double Eagle or $20 Piece; obv., the head of Liberty; 13 stars interspersed with 30 G - 1.5 S - 3.5 C - 35 Grams; rev., spread eagle; "United States of America; Twenty Dollars;" motto, "Deo Est Gloria," emblazoned; struck by resolution of Congress and the only one issued; this is the first and only coin extant of the metric system of this denomination; there were 5 struck at the United States Mint, 3 in gold and 2 in copper; the copper specimens are in the Mint Cabinet; the other 2 gold pieces are in the Treasury Department, at Washington, which the Secretary of the Treasury positively refused to issue to any one; therefore, this is the only specimen issued, which was granted to Mr. W.W. Hubbell, the inventor; color, orange gold; weight 25 grammes; very beautiful; one of the rarest and most interesting coins in the world; it is limited to $300."

     Haseltine was an insider, with excellent connections at the Mint. He seems to have had access to important information about the coin and may have seen the letter from Acting Director Roberts acknowledging the receipt of the three quintuple stellas sent to Congress. Curiously, he was not aware of the two gold specimens in the Mint Cabinet. In any case, while authorities undoubtedly opposed releasing the quintuple stellas to collectors at the time of striking, all five examples eventually reached the numismatic marketplace.
     The manner in which the coins became available to collectors is not known, but prominent dealer H.P. Smith handled the lion's share of examples sold in the 19th century. In addition to handling the discovery coin twice, his New York Coin & Stamp firm offered the only other specimen of the quintuple stella to appear at auction in the 19th century in their Robert Coulton Davis auction in 1890. After his death, the Chapman brothers auctioned his collection and found another specimen in his holdings. He certainly had a strong affinity for this ultra-rare pattern issue.
     By the early 20th century, all five quintuple stellas found homes in tightly held, long-term collections. The discovery coin became a highlight of the famous Garrett Collection and the coin from H.P. Smith's holdings eventually passed to the celebrated collection of Louis E. Eliasberg. The other three coins, including the specimen offered here, were all acquired by super-collector Virgil Brand at an early date. The coins remained in these high-profile collections for extended periods and, even when those collections were dispersed, public offerings were few and far between over the years. As might be expected, any offering of an 1879 quintuple stella represents an important opportunity for advanced collectors and is widely reported in the numismatic press.
     John Dannreuther notes that collecting the four dollar stellas has become extremely popular with collectors in recent years. The 1879 quintuple stella would be a natural complement to an advanced collection of four dollar stellas. With only five examples known, it would be the rarest piece and a marvelous capstone to such a collection. We believe the quintuple stella is underpriced and long overdue for a breakout in the present market. We would not be surprised to see a record price realized set when the finest-certified present coin crosses the auction block.

The Present Coin
The coin offered here was once a highlight of the fabulous collection of super collector Virgil Brand, who formed one of the largest and most valuable coin collections of all time. In fact, Brand owned more than one example of this iconic pattern rarity. According to his records, Brand acquired one example from dealer Charles Steigerwalt in 1894 and two others from Stephen Nagy in 1907. Unfortunately, Brand's records are not clear about the distribution of the three coins, and we have not been able to determine which source this coin came from, or how it was dispersed from Brand's holdings. The collection, which numbered more than 350,000 pieces, was split between his heirs in a contentious process and his holdings were not completely dispersed for more than fifty years, further obscuring the early history of this coin.
     The next appearance, and first public offering, of this remarkable specimen was in lot 624 of the Fred Olsen Collection, which was auctioned by B. Max Mehl in November 1944. Mehl gave the coin a rare full-page lot description, liberally quoting the standard Adams-Woodin pattern reference and emphasizing its rarity and visual appeal:

"1879 Five-Stella Coin. Beautiful head of Liberty with the portions of different metals contained therein, and its weight, around the head. Reverse, type similar to regular issue. Struck in gold. Perfect brilliant proof. A gem. According to A-W only four specimens were struck. Listed in A-W as No. 1572, Rarity 13.

"The important advantages of this Metric Gold Coin are that the gold is even 30 grams, the silver even 1.5 grams, the copper 3.5 grams. The gold, therefore, is standard .9 fine and the silver is .9 fine in the coin, and the total weight is even 35 grams, and is precisely $20 in value. The superiority of the metal for constancy in value is strikingly shown by the fact that although it measures the same in diameter and on a plane as the binary $20 coin, it (the metric) is 24 grains heavier, or 540.25 plus grains in weight, showing as well as in the rich orange color its superiority for practical use, as it flows with a sharper and more distinct finish into the dies.

"To the best of my recollection, this is the first and only specimen I have ever had the pleasure of offering at auction. I have had only one other specimen pass through my hands in my forty-four years of numismatic experience. I do not hesitate to make the statement that this is as beautiful a Double Eagle as ever issued by our government and certainly by far the rarest. In fact, in actual rarity, I doubt if there are more than one or two United States Gold coins which exceed it. A gem and rarity of the highest order and a prized possession for any collection."

     The lot realized $3,850, a staggering price for the time. Of course, collector demand for this rare issue has increased prices realized exponentially over the years. Currently, the record price realized for the 1879 quintuple stella is $2,160,000, brought by the PR64 Deep Cameo PCGS example in our ANA Signature Auction last year. That coin was also owned by the present consignor at one time, but he sold it as a duplicate, after he acquired this Plus-graded Choice proof, which he considered superior (see roster below for details).
     The next owner of this magnificent specimen was renowned gold pattern specialist Dr. John E. Wilkison, who sold his remarkable collection intact to Paramount International Coin Corporation in 1973. This coin changed hands privately twice and appeared at auction two more times in the following years, before it was acquired by the present consignor.
     This 1879 quintuple stella eventually passed to Bob R. Simpson, our consignor, a Texas oilman and co-owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team. Simpson formed an amazing collection of all types of U.S. coinage that has been sold in a series of blockbuster auctions by Heritage in recent years. This coin was acquired when Simpson purchased the Southern Collection, one of the most advanced pattern collections of all time, for a reported $36 million in 2008. It has been off the market for 18 years.

Physical Description
The coin offered here is a magnificent Plus-graded Choice proof with sharply detailed design elements and deeply reflective fields that contrast profoundly with the richly frosted devices. The gold-on-black cameo flash is especially vivid when the coin is tilted in the light. The well-preserved yellow and orange-gold surfaces are free of mentionable distractions and only some minor hairlines in the fields prevent an even higher grade. Overall eye appeal is terrific. This coin possesses an unbeatable combination of absolute rarity, the highest available technical quality, outstanding eye appeal, and an illustrious pedigree. We expect intense competition from pattern specialists and Registry Set enthusiasts when this lot is called. The 1879 quintuple stella is listed among the 100 Greatest U.S. Coins. This coin is pictured on PCGS CoinFacts. PCGS Population: 2 in 64 (1 in 64+) Deep Cameo, 0 finer (6/26).

Roster of 1879 Quintuple Stellas, Judd-1643
This roster is based on the listing in USPatterns.com. Grades are per the last auction appearance, unless a subsequent certification event is known.
1. PR64+ Deep Cameo PCGS. Virgil M. Brand; unknown intermediaries; Fred Olsen Collection (B. Max Mehl, 11/1944), lot 624; Dr. John E. Wilkison Collection; purchased privately by Paramount International Coin Corporation in 1973; A-Mark; Metropolitan New York Sale (New England Rare Coin Auctions, 4/1980), lot 391; 65th Anniversary Auction (Stack's, 10/2000), lot 1626; Southern Collection; Bob R. Simpson Collection. Illustrated on USPatterns.com and in the Encyclopedia of U.S. Gold Coins: 1795-1933 by Jeff Garrett and Ron Guth. The present coin.
2. PR64 Deep Cameo PCGS. Virgil M. Brand; unknown intermediaries; Amon Carter, Sr.; Amon Carter, Jr., Carter Family Collection (Stack's, 1/1984), lot 635; Ed Trompeter; Trompeter Collection (Superior, 2/1992), lot 138; Heritage inventory (2/1999); Bob R. Simpson; Regency Auction (Legend Numismatics, 5/2016), lot 377, realized $1,880,000; the Costa Collection, via Greg Rohan and Todd Imhof; ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2025), lot 3299, $2,160,000.
3. PR64 Cameo PCGS. Harlan Page Smith Collection (S.H. & H. Chapman, 5/1906), lot 1444; John Story Jenks Collection (Henry Chapman, 11/1921), lot 5680; Elmer Sears (possibly as agent for the next): John H. Clapp; Clapp Estate; Louis E. Eliasberg, Sr. in 1942, via Stack's; Eliasberg Estate; Eliasberg Collection, Part I (Bowers and Merena, 5/1996), lot 313; Chicago Rarities Night Sale (Bowers and Merena, 4/2008), lot 734.
4. PR63 Cameo PCGS. United States Mint; Dr. William Wheeler Hubbell; John W. Haseltine; "Type Table" Catalog (John W. Haseltine, 11/1881), lot 1490; Hebbeard Collection (Harlan Page Smith, 4/1883), lot 458; Dr. Edward Maris Collection (Harlan Page Smith, 6/1886), lot 230; T. Harrison Garrett; Robert and John Work Garrett, by bequest in 1888; John Work Garrett bought out or traded for his brother's interest in the collection circa 1919; Garrett Estate; Johns Hopkins University, by bequest; Garrett Collection, Part II (Bowers and Ruddy, 3/1980), lot 1097; Ed Trompeter; Moreira Collection (Superior, 1/1989), lot 4026; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2007), lot 1594, realized $862,500; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2022), lot 4793.
5. Proof (Uncertified). Virgil M. Brand; unknown intermediaries; Adolphe Menjou Collection (Numismatic Gallery, 6/1950), lot 1818; King Farouk; Palace Collections of Egypt (Sotheby's, 2/1954), lot 294; ANA Convention Auction (Abe Kosoff, 8/1958), lot 1676; Auction '79 (Stack's, 7/1979), lot 950; Stack's; gifted to the National Numismatic Collection at the Smithsonian Institution.

Additional Appearances
A. Waldo Newcomer; "Colonel" E.H.R. Green; offered by B.G. Johnson to F.C.C. Boyd in a January 1944 invoice for $1,250. Probably the coin in number 5 above, but not confirmed.
B. Charles Steigerwalt; purchased by Virgil Brand in 1894 for $100, Brand journal number 12582; Armin Brand; sold to B.G. Johnson on 12/1/1937. Possibly the coin in number 1, 2, or 5 above.
C. Robert Coulton Davis Collection (New York Coin & Stamp, 1/1890), lot 1127. Possibly the coin in number 3 or B above.
D. Stephen Nagy; purchased by Virgil Brand in 1907 for $150, Brand journal number 38942. Possibly the coin in number 1, 2, or 5 above.
E. Stephen Nagy; purchased by Virgil Brand in 1907 for $150; Brand journal number 38943. Possibly the coin in number 1, 2, or 5 above.
Note: One of the coins in D or E above went to Horace Brand and the other was no longer in the collection when the brothers split their inheritance.
Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part XIII.

Coin Index Numbers: (PCGS# 537318, GSID# 373253)

View all of [Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part XIII ]

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