1890 Bronze So-Called Dollar HK-617, Allegheny City Semi Centennial

Coin Details

Description

Designated HK-617 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1890 piece commemorates Allegheny Semi-Centennial in Pennsylvania. Centennial celebrations were among the most significant civic events in American communities, marking 100 years since a city's founding, incorporation, or other milestone with parades, ceremonies, and the issuance of commemorative medals. 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. 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. Pennsylvania's role as the cradle of American independence and its position as a major industrial state generated a rich tradition of commemorative medal production, with Philadelphia serving as both the political and medallic capital of the early republic. So-called dollars — defined as privately issued medals approximately the size of a silver dollar — encompass one of the most diverse and historically rich collecting fields in American numismatics. 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-617 are common to 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-617; PCGS #643082