I'm not sure what you paid for it, but you still have a very excellent gun. I have the exact same one in probably very similar condition. Sticky trigger is almost certainly from a gummed up again. Disassemble the pistol and clean it really well I have a feeling that will fix the trigger sticking. As for the gold flaking off, that's pretty common on these guns. Those gold components were very thinly coated to begin and they wear super easily. Usually you see it on the mag release first. If you plan on shooting it much, you'll see the trigger and mag release start to wear also. And a spot of bluing rubbed off? That's just character.
I've had several of old High Standards, only Hamden models, and I've sold all of them except my The Victor. I don't shoot it anymore though. I rarely even bring it out of the safe. The biggest downside to me is how finicky they can be to feed. Feed lips on the mags are crucial to feeding on these guns and original mags are fairly costly. I've found that I can tune a Ruger Mark 2 Target to have a trigger that rivals my Victor and shoots just as good and I don't have to worry about feeding issues. The only thing the Ruger can't replicate on The Victor is the feel in the hand. Enjoy your gun just like it is, it's fantastic gun!