1860 So-Called Dollar HK-133, (C.1860) Brandywine/Germantown

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-133, this 1860 so-called dollar honors (C.1860) Brandywine/Germantown. Governor DeWitt Clinton's 1825 'Wedding of the Waters' ceremony — pouring Lake Erie water into New York Harbor — celebrated the Erie Canal's 363-mile route from Albany to Buffalo, the engineering marvel that reduced western freight costs by over 90 percent. Struck in bronze, this piece combines durability with an attractive warm tone that deepens with age into a rich chocolate-brown patina. Bronze was the preferred composition for many commemorative medals due to its excellent detail retention. 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 Hibler-Kappen catalog, first published in 1963 by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen, systematically organized American so-called dollars for the first time, assigning HK numbers that remain the standard reference today.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-133 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-133; PCGS #642355; NGC #850242