1876 So-Called Dollar HK-80a, Fairmount - Rev Lg Date

Coin Details

Description

Designated HK-80a in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1876 piece commemorates Fairmount - Rev Lg Date. 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 showcases the detailed die work typical of American commemorative medals. Bronze's natural patina gives aged examples an appealing warm-brown surface that collectors prize. 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-80, 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-80a 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-80a; PCGS #642202; NGC #851684