1896 Bryan Dollar HK-780, Gorham Mfg. Co., S-6

Coin Details

Description

This Bryan Dollar (HK-780) from the 1896 campaign era is among the most historically significant political so-called dollars in American numismatics. This variety: 52mm, September 16, 1896, cartwheel reverse. Bryan lost to William McKinley in both 1896 and 1900, then lost to William Howard Taft in 1908. He served as Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915, negotiating peace treaties with thirty nations before resigning over Wilson's confrontational stance toward Germany after the Lusitania sinking. Bryan later became famous for his prosecution role in the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' in Dayton, Tennessee, where he died on July 26, 1925, five days after the trial concluded. Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island, founded in 1831, was the world's largest silver company and produced several Bryan Dollar varieties with distinctive cartwheel reverses. This variety is distinguished by its specifications: 52mm, September 16, 1896, cartwheel reverse. The 'comparative' Bryan Dollars were struck in coin silver by prestigious Eastern silversmiths including Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island (founded 1831, the world's largest silver company), Tiffany & Co. of New York, Spaulding & Co., and the George H. Ford Company. These sophisticated, text-heavy pieces physically demonstrate the size a silver dollar would be under Bryan's 16-to-1 proposal, often showing the smaller contemporary Morgan dollar for comparison. The 'satirical' Bryan pieces were crudely cast in base metals with mocking slogans like 'In God We Trust, In Bryan We Bust' and 'United Snakes of America.' The so-called dollar collecting community has grown significantly since the Hibler-Kappen catalog's initial publication, with specialized dealers, dedicated reference works, and an active collector base supporting a market that values historical significance, artistic merit, rarity, and condition. Heritage Auctions, Stack's Bowers, and other major numismatic auction houses regularly feature so-called dollars in their sales.

Rarity Notes

Bryan Dollars survive in varying numbers depending on the manufacturer and variety. Gorham-manufactured pieces are among the more available Bryan Dollar varieties.

Cross References

HK-780