1886 HK-1005, Eutopia Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$9,000 MS65+ 03-29-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1886 Eutopia Dollar (HK-1005) is a piece cataloged in the monetary section of the Hibler-Kappen so-called dollar reference. The 1886 Eutopia Dollar (HK-1005) evokes the concept of an ideal society during the Gilded Age, a period of rapid industrialization, growing wealth inequality, and vigorous debate about the structure of American society. Utopian movements and experimental communities flourished during this era, from the Bellamy Nationalist clubs inspired by 'Looking Backward' (1888) to religious communes and cooperative colonies across the American landscape. So-called dollars acquired their name because they are not true dollar coins but rather privately issued medals that approximate the size and weight of U.S. silver dollars. The collecting specialty emerged in the early 20th century and was formalized by the Hibler-Kappen catalog, which organized hundreds of diverse pieces — from exposition medals to political tokens to private monetary experiments — into a coherent collecting framework.

Rarity Notes

This 1886 so-called dollar is generally scarce in the numismatic market. Examples are collected by specialists in so-called dollars and American medallic art.

Cross References

HK-1005; PCGS #643764