1869 HK-12a, Pacific Railway Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$17,400 SP64 06-17-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Cataloged as HK-12a, this 1869 so-called dollar honors Pacific Railway. Pre-Civil War commemorative medals were produced by private die sinkers like Charles Cushing Wright and Maltby Pelletreau in New York and Philadelphia, working in copper, brass, and white metal for collectors and event attendees. 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. 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-12, 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-12a 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-12a; PCGS #642038; NGC #850023