1860 HK-9, Heenan-Sayers Boxing Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$720 MS65BN 08-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

Cataloged as HK-9, this 1860 so-called dollar honors Heenan-Sayers Boxing. Before the great exposition era, American commemorative medals documented the young republic's infrastructure achievements, from the Erie Canal's 1825 completion to the transcontinental telegraph in 1861. 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. The HK numbering system established by Hibler and Kappen in 1963 brought order to hundreds of previously uncataloged American commemorative medals, many of which had been ignored by mainstream numismatic references.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-9 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-9; PCGS #642017; NGC #850014