1893 Copper So-Called Dollar HK-765, Carter H. Harrison Statue

Coin Details

Description

This commemorative medal (HK-765) from (1893) celebrates Carter H. Harrison Statue in Illinois. Biographical commemorative medals document the lives and contributions of individuals who shaped their communities, with portraits and inscriptions creating lasting tributes in metallic form. This copper so-called dollar exemplifies the traditional American commemorative medal. Copper's excellent strike characteristics allow even small design details to be rendered with precision. As a major American badge and medal manufacturer, Whitehead-Hoag combined industrial-scale production with competent artistic design, making commemorative pieces accessible to a broad range of organizations and events. The Prairie State's commemorative medal tradition reflects both the dramatic growth of Chicago and the agricultural heritage of downstate communities that fed the nation during its westward expansion. The HK numbering system established by Hibler and Kappen in 1963 brought order to hundreds of previously uncataloged American commemorative medals, many of which had been ignored by mainstream numismatic references. 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.

Rarity Notes

Local commemorative so-called dollars from the Gilded Age survive in varying quantities. Copper examples of HK-765 are common to moderately scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

HK-765; PCGS #643461