1876 So-Called Dollar HK-73, Abraham Lincoln

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 AU55BN 11-20-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1876 so-called dollar (HK-73) commemorates Abraham Lincoln. 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. Struck in bronze, this piece combines durability with an attractive warm tone that deepens with age into a rich chocolate-brown patina. Bronze was the preferred composition for many commemorative medals due to its excellent detail retention. 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. Morgan's artistic legacy extends beyond coinage to include numerous commemorative medals that showcase his distinctive portrait and eagle designs. The Hibler-Kappen catalog has been updated and expanded since its 1963 first edition, with later researchers adding newly discovered varieties and extending coverage into the modern era.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-73 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-73; PCGS #642183; NGC #850148