1892-1893 So-Called Dollar HK-196, The Agriculture Building

Coin Details

Description

HK-196 is a 1892 so-called dollar commemorating The Agriculture Building. George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. built the original Ferris Wheel for the Midway Plaisance, standing 264 feet tall with 36 cars that each held 60 passengers, as the American answer to the Eiffel Tower. 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. Both the U.S. Mint and numerous private firms struck Columbian medals. Charles Barber designed official mint issues. The exposition also generated the first U.S. commemorative coins (Columbian half dollar). Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty.

Rarity Notes

So-called dollars from the Gilded Age were produced in limited quantities for distribution at events or through numismatic channels. Examples of HK-196 are scarce, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-196; PCGS #642484; NGC #850335