1876 So-Called Dollar HK-46, Independence Hall Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$168 MS62BN 11-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This commemorative so-called dollar (HK-46) from 1876 celebrates Independence Hall. 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. The bronze composition of this piece reflects the medallic tradition dating to classical antiquity. Bronze so-called dollars typically survive in better condition than white metal examples due to the alloy's greater hardness and durability. 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. 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

HK-46 is scarce in the numismatic market. Production quantities for post-Civil War era commemorative medals were typically modest, and survival rates vary significantly based on the original distribution method and the material's durability.

Cross References

HK-46; PCGS #642114; NGC #850104