1876 So-Called Dollar HK-114c, Unity of Government

Coin Details

Description

This 1876 so-called dollar (HK-114c) commemorates Unity of Government. Machinery Hall covered 13 acres and housed the 1,400-horsepower Corliss steam engine, standing 70 feet tall and weighing 650 tons, which powered all exhibits through five miles of overhead belts and shafts. Bronze examples of so-called dollars offer collectors an excellent balance of affordability, condition, and aesthetic appeal. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes with fine detail that survives handling better than softer metals. 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. William Barber designed the official U.S. Mint medals for the 1876 Centennial Exposition, establishing the standard for American exposition medal artistry. 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-114, 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-114c 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-114c; PCGS #642281; NGC #851861