1876 So-Called Dollar HK-81b, Main Building

Coin Details

Description

This 1876 so-called dollar (HK-81b) commemorates Main Building. The Women's Pavilion was the first building at any international exposition funded, designed, managed, and filled entirely by women, showcasing female inventors, artists, and entrepreneurs from across the nation. 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. George Morgan, famous for his Liberty Head silver dollar design, also contributed to exposition medal production during his long tenure at the U.S. Mint. 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. This piece is a variant of HK-81, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

HK-81b 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-81b; PCGS #642207; NGC #851841