1860 HK-133b, Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne Dollar

Coin Details

Description

This commemorative so-called dollar (HK-133b) from 1860 celebrates Maj. Gen. Anthony Wayne. New York's Crystal Palace exhibition of 1853-1854, designed by Georg Carstensen and Charles Gildemeister in a Greek cross plan with a 100-foot dome, was America's first international exhibition venue before fire destroyed it on October 5, 1858. Bronze examples of so-called dollars offer collectors an excellent balance of affordability, condition, and aesthetic appeal. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes with fine detail that survives handling better than softer metals. Early commemorative medals were produced in small quantities by private die sinkers, with white metal and copper being the most common compositions. Distribution was typically limited to event participants and subscribers. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty. This piece is a variant of HK-133, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-133b are scarce. Post-Civil War era medals were often distributed at events, with many entering circulation as pocket pieces rather than being preserved as collectibles.

Cross References

HK-133b; PCGS #642357; NGC #850244