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

Coin Details

Description

This 1876 so-called dollar (HK-114f) commemorates Unity of Government. Memorial Hall, built beneath a 150-foot dome in the Beaux-Arts style, housed the exposition's art gallery as the only permanent structure constructed for the fair and survives today in Fairmount Park. 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. 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. Barber's engraving style combined classical European training with American patriotic iconography, producing medals of exceptional technical quality. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty. 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

So-called dollars from the post-Civil War era were produced in limited quantities for distribution at events or through numismatic channels. Examples of HK-114f are scarce, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-114f; PCGS #642284; NGC #851864