1876 HK-83b, Centennial Expo Dollar

Coin Details

Description

This 1876 so-called dollar (HK-83b) commemorates Centennial Expo. The 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park was the first official world's fair held in the United States, occupying 285 acres with over 200 buildings and attracting nearly 10 million visitors. 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. The U.S. Mint struck official Centennial medals designed by William Barber, while private firms produced hundreds of additional varieties. The Centennial group is the largest in the HK catalog. George Morgan, famous for his Liberty Head silver dollar design, also contributed to exposition medal production during his long tenure at the U.S. Mint. So-called dollars — defined as privately issued medals approximately the size of a silver dollar — encompass one of the most diverse and historically rich collecting fields in American numismatics. This piece is a variant of HK-83, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-83b are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Post-Civil War era commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation. Variant types are generally scarcer than the primary issue.

Cross References

HK-83b; PCGS #642213; NGC #851844