1894 HK-248a, Gilt-White Metal De Young Dollar

Coin Details

Description

This 1894 so-called dollar (HK-248a) commemorates - De Young. The Washington Monument's construction spanned 36 years (1848-1884), with the visible color change one-third up the obelisk marking where construction resumed after the Civil War with marble from a different quarry. Struck in white metal (a tin-based alloy), this piece represents one of the most common compositions for 19th-century commemorative medals. White metal's low cost and attractive silvery appearance made it ideal for mass-distribution commemoratives. Miscellaneous national commemorative medals were produced by a wide range of manufacturers, from the U.S. Mint to local die-sinkers, covering subjects from presidential inaugurations to infrastructure milestones. 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. This piece is a variant of HK-248, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

White Metal strikings of HK-248a are moderately scarce. Gilded Age medals were often distributed at events, with many entering circulation as pocket pieces rather than being preserved as collectibles.

Cross References

HK-248a; PCGS #620667; NGC #852218