(1876) White Metal So-Called Dollar GW-884, HK-92, Moore's Creek Bridge

Coin Details

Auction Record

$528 MS64 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

Cataloged as HK-92, this 1876 so-called dollar honors Moore's Creek Bridge. Before the great exposition era, American commemorative medals documented the young republic's infrastructure achievements, from the Erie Canal's 1825 completion to the transcontinental telegraph in 1861. Struck in white metal (a tin-based alloy), this piece represents one of the most common compositions for 19th-century commemorative medals. White metal's low cost and attractive silvery appearance made it ideal for mass-distribution commemoratives. Early commemorative medals were produced in small quantities by private die sinkers, with white metal and copper being the most common compositions. Distribution was typically limited to event participants and subscribers. 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.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-92 are moderately scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Post-Civil War era commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation.

Cross References

HK-92; PCGS #642238; NGC #850182