1861 HK-11a, Bombardment of Fort Sumter-Type 2 Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,400 MS63 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1861 Bombardment of Fort Sumter-Type 2 so-called dollar (HK-11a) is a commemorative piece from the Early Commemoratives series. 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. This bronze so-called dollar represents the standard commemorative medal composition of its era. Bronze pieces were often the primary production run, with silver reserved for presentation copies and white metal for budget editions. 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. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. This piece is a variant of HK-11, 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-11a 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-11a; PCGS #642026; NGC #850020