1884-1885 So-Called Dollar HK-144c, Liberty Bell Dollar

Coin Details

Description

This 1884 so-called dollar (HK-144c) commemorates Liberty Bell. Pennsylvania's bicentennial in 1882 produced several commemorative medals honoring William Penn's 1682 founding of the colony, while Vermont celebrated its own centennial of statehood in 1891. 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. State and regional medals were typically commissioned by local committees and struck by private manufacturers. Silver and white metal compositions predominate. The Hibler-Kappen catalog, first published in 1963 by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen, systematically organized American so-called dollars for the first time, assigning HK numbers that remain the standard reference today. This piece is a variant of HK-144, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-144c are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Gilded Age commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation. Variant types are generally scarcer than the primary issue.

Cross References

HK-144c; PCGS #642397; NGC #851914