1891 So-Called Dollar HK-763b, Washington Monument Dedication

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,120 MS61 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

HK-763B is a 1891 so-called dollar commemorating Washington Monument Ded. in Pennsylvania. From courthouse dedications to bridge openings, Americans have marked significant construction milestones with commemorative medals that document the built environment of growing communities. Struck in bronze, this piece showcases the detailed die work typical of American commemorative medals. Bronze's natural patina gives aged examples an appealing warm-brown surface that collectors prize. 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. From Philadelphia's founding by William Penn in 1682 to Pittsburgh's industrial revolution, Pennsylvania communities have marked their historical milestones with commemorative medals that document the Commonwealth's central role in American history. 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. Local commemorative medals from before 1900 reflect an era when American communities were actively shaping their civic identities, with medal production serving as both celebration and assertion of permanence. This piece is a variant of HK-763, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics.

Rarity Notes

HK-763B is scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Local commemorative medals from the Gilded Age were typically produced in limited quantities for distribution at the celebration event.

Cross References

HK-763B; PCGS #643459