1776 So-Called Dollar HK-856a, Continental Dollar Bashlow Restrike, Goldine Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$324 MS65 07-15-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

This Continental Dollar restrike (HK-856a) reproduces the design of the famous 1776 Continental Currency Dollar, one of the most iconic pieces in early American numismatics. This is a 1962 Bashlow restrike produced by August C. Frank Co. of Philadelphia from Dickeson's original dies. 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. Bashlow produced 3,000 goldine (golden brass) restrikes, giving these pieces a distinctive gold-toned appearance. The Continental Dollar's design legacy extends beyond its own series: the FUGIO sundial and linked-rings motifs were adopted for the 1787 Fugio Cent, the first coin authorized by the United States Congress. Whether Franklin intended the message for Great Britain or for ordinary colonists remains debated. The Bashlow restrikes are collected both as numismatic curiosities and as accessible alternatives to the exceptionally rare 18th-century originals. So-called dollars acquired their name because they are not true dollar coins but rather privately issued medals that approximate the size and weight of U.S. silver dollars. The collecting specialty emerged in the early 20th century and was formalized by the Hibler-Kappen catalog, which organized hundreds of diverse pieces — from exposition medals to political tokens to private monetary experiments — into a coherent collecting framework.

Rarity Notes

Bashlow restrikes from 1962 are more available than the 18th-century originals but still collected actively. The Goldine composition gives these pieces a distinctive gold-toned appearance.

Cross References

HK-856a; PCGS #643603