1887 White Metal So-Called Dollar HK-610, Georgia State Fair

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,265 (1973) 05-29-2007 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

Designated HK-610 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1887 piece commemorates Georgia State Fair in Georgia. Regional expositions and county fairs were among the most anticipated annual events in American communities, with commemorative medals providing lasting souvenirs for the thousands of attendees who visited exhibits and entertainments. 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. Private medal manufacturers played a central role in American commemorative culture, providing communities with the means to create lasting metallic records of their most significant celebrations and milestones. 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. Pre-1900 local commemorative medals are among the most historically significant in the so-called dollar series, documenting the celebrations of communities still within living memory of their founding or early settlement periods.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-610 are moderately scarce. Distribution was usually limited to event attendees and local residents, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-610; PCGS #643063