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

Coin Details

Description

HK-46b is a 1876 so-called dollar commemorating Independence Hall. President Grant and Emperor Dom Pedro II of Brazil jointly started the Corliss Engine on opening day, May 10, 1876, while Alexander Graham Bell demonstrated the telephone and the Remington typewriter made its public debut. 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. The HK numbering system established by Hibler and Kappen in 1963 brought order to hundreds of previously uncataloged American commemorative medals, many of which had been ignored by mainstream numismatic references. This piece is a variant of HK-46, 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-46b 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-46b; PCGS #642118; NGC #851595