1776 So-Called Dollar HK-852, Continental Dollar Silver - Restrike of 1876 Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,840 MS61 08-18-2019 Heritage Auctions

Description

This Continental Dollar restrike (HK-852) reproduces the design of the famous 1776 Continental Currency Dollar, one of the most iconic pieces in early American numismatics. Prof. Montroville W. Dickeson produced Continental Dollar copies during the 1876 United States Centennial celebration in Philadelphia. Thomas K. DeLorey's planchet analysis corrected the earlier attribution of these pieces to Thomas L. Elder. Dickeson struck pieces primarily in white metal (hundreds) and copper (a few handfuls), with limited production in silver (only 50 according to John W. Haseltine), plus gold, pewter, and lead variants. These Centennial restrikes are cataloged as HK-852 through HK-856. In 1962, Robert Bashlow acquired Dickeson's dies and commissioned August C. Frank Co. of Philadelphia to produce restrikes: 2,000 silver pieces (HK-852a, with small 'S' on reverse), 5,000 bronze (HK-853a), and 3,000 goldine/golden brass (HK-856a). Separately, Empire Coin Company had 7,200 white metal pieces (HK-854a) struck by John Pinches, Ltd. of England. Bashlow donated the dies to the Smithsonian Institution and also produced restrikes of the 1616 Sommer Islands, J.J. Conway $5 Gold, and the 1861 Confederate States Half Dollar. Each HK number represents a distinct combination of design, composition, and die state, creating a collecting framework that rewards careful study and attention to detail. The monetary so-called dollars occupy a special niche within this framework, as they represent not just commemorative art but actual experiments in private coinage, political advocacy through medallic form, and commentary on the great monetary debates that shaped American economic history.

Rarity Notes

The 1876 Centennial restrikes are scarce, produced in limited quantities during the Centennial celebration. Silver examples command the strongest premiums.

Cross References

HK-852; PCGS #643590