1897 HK-835, Bickford Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$978 MS-68 02-02-2010 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

This 1897 Bickford Dollar (HK-835) is a piece cataloged in the monetary section of the Hibler-Kappen so-called dollar reference. Dana Bickford, a New York inventor and entrepreneur, proposed a revolutionary multi-denomination gold coin system in 1897. His concept involved a single coin design that could serve as legal tender in multiple countries by incorporating exchange rates directly into the design through a rotating dial mechanism showing equivalent values in different national currencies. The Bickford Dollar series (HK-833 through HK-837) represents one of the most imaginative proposals in American monetary history. So-called dollars acquired their name because they are not true dollar coins but rather privately issued medals that approximate the size and weight of U.S. silver dollars. The collecting specialty emerged in the early 20th century and was formalized by the Hibler-Kappen catalog, which organized hundreds of diverse pieces — from exposition medals to political tokens to private monetary experiments — into a coherent collecting framework.

Rarity Notes

This 1897 so-called dollar is generally scarce in the numismatic market. Examples are collected by specialists in so-called dollars and American medallic art.

Cross References

HK-835; PCGS #643573