1892-1893 So-Called Dollar HK-243b, 93) Il Director-General Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$153 MS62 12-17-2022 eBay

Description

Designated HK-243b in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1892 piece commemorates 93) Il Director-General. The exposition's Court of Honor, with its Grand Basin reflecting pool surrounded by Burnham's neoclassical buildings painted white, inspired the City Beautiful movement that transformed American urban planning. Struck in bronze, this piece combines durability with an attractive warm tone that deepens with age into a rich chocolate-brown patina. Bronze was the preferred composition for many commemorative medals due to its excellent detail retention. 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). 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. This piece is a variant of HK-243, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-243b are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Gilded Age commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation. Variant types are generally scarcer than the primary issue.

Cross References

HK-243b; PCGS #642592; NGC #850441