1876 Silver So-Called Dollar GW-887, HK-99, Harlem Plains

Coin Details

Auction Record

$4,560 MS64 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Cataloged as HK-99, this 1876 so-called dollar honors Harlem Plains. 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. This silver striking represents the premium composition for so-called dollars of its era. Silver pieces were typically available to subscribers or sold at higher prices than the more widely distributed base metal versions. 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.

Rarity Notes

So-called dollars from the post-Civil War era were produced in limited quantities for distribution at events or through numismatic channels. Silver examples of HK-99 are scarce to rare, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-99; PCGS #642249; NGC #850191