1896 So-Called Dollar HK-635, California Admission Day

Coin Details

Description

This commemorative medal (HK-635) from 1896 celebrates California Admission Day in California. Commemorative medals honoring individuals have been part of American medallic tradition since the nation's founding, with subjects ranging from presidents and military heroes to local civic leaders and cultural figures. 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. 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. California's dramatic history — from the Gold Rush through the San Francisco earthquake to its emergence as America's most populous state — generated commemorative medals documenting the rapid transformation of the Pacific Coast. The Hibler-Kappen catalog has been updated and expanded since its 1963 first edition, with later researchers adding newly discovered varieties and extending coverage into the modern era. Pre-1900 local commemorative medals are among the most historically significant in the so-called dollar series, documenting the celebrations of communities still within living memory of their founding or early settlement periods.

Rarity Notes

HK-635 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-635; PCGS #643128