1861 HK-11b, Bombardment of Fort Sumter-Type 1 Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,120 MS63 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

HK-11b is a 1861 so-called dollar commemorating Bombardment of Fort Sumter-Type 1. The medal-issuing tradition in this era drew on European precedents, with 51 gold Erie Canal medals presented to dignitaries including Lafayette and three surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence. Struck in bronze, this piece showcases the detailed die work typical of American commemorative medals. Bronze's natural patina gives aged examples an appealing warm-brown surface that collectors prize. 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. 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-11b 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-11b; PCGS #642027; NGC #851588