1896 White Metal So-Called Dollar HK-638, Western Reserve Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$68 MS63 11-28-2021 eBay

Description

This commemorative medal (HK-638) from 1896 celebrates Western Reserve in Ohio. Biographical commemorative medals document the lives and contributions of individuals who shaped their communities, with portraits and inscriptions creating lasting tributes in metallic form. 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. The Whitehead-Hoag Company of Newark, New Jersey was one of America's largest manufacturers of badges, buttons, and commemorative medals from the 1890s through the mid-20th century, producing pieces for political campaigns, fraternal organizations, and civic celebrations. The Buckeye State's rich industrial and agricultural heritage generated numerous commemorative medals celebrating the achievements of Ohio communities from the Western Reserve to the Ohio River Valley. The Hibler-Kappen catalog, first published in 1963 by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen, systematically organized American so-called dollars for the first time, assigning HK numbers that remain the standard reference today. 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-638 is moderately 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-638; PCGS #643137