1897 HK-833, Bickford Dollar Aluminum, Brass Center Dollar

Coin Details

Description

Dana Bickford of New York City came home from Europe annoyed at the trouble of swapping one country's money for another's, and he sent designs for an international coinage to Henry R. Linderman, then Director of the Mint. Linderman liked the saving it promised the government and the ease for travelers, and in 1874 he had a pattern eagle struck from a Bickford design, but Congress never acted. In 1897 Bickford issued eight pattern "dollars" of his own, all 28 mm, each stating what a dollar would exchange for abroad. HK-833 is the first: aluminum with brass center, the obverse center reading "Republican Dollar Internat.l." with five dashes standing for silver bars and four circling lines of slogans. The reverse shows the dollar's equivalent in eight links. Hibler and Kappen once listed the center as bronze and note pieces both holed and unholed.

Cross References

HK-833; PCGS #643571