1893 So-Called Dollar HK-632, Nebraska State Fair

Coin Details

Description

HK-632 is a 1893 so-called dollar commemorating Nebraska State Fair in Nebraska. Regional expositions and county fairs were among the most anticipated annual events in American communities, with commemorative medals providing lasting souvenirs for the thousands of attendees who visited exhibits and entertainments. The bronze composition of this piece reflects the medallic tradition dating to classical antiquity. Bronze so-called dollars typically survive in better condition than white metal examples due to the alloy's greater hardness and durability. Whitehead-Hoag's Newark factory produced millions of commemorative pieces during the company's seven-decade history, including medals for world's fairs, presidential campaigns, and military events. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. 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

HK-632 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-632; PCGS #643119