1897 So-Called Dollar HK-639, Cloverdale Citrus Fair

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-639, this 1897 so-called dollar commemorates Cloverdale Citrus Fair in California. Regional expositions and county fairs were among the most anticipated annual events in American communities, with commemorative medals providing lasting souvenirs for the thousands of attendees who visited exhibits and entertainments. Struck in bronze, this piece showcases the detailed die work typical of American commemorative medals. Bronze's natural patina gives aged examples an appealing warm-brown surface that collectors prize. Whitehead-Hoag's Newark factory produced millions of commemorative pieces during the company's seven-decade history, including medals for world's fairs, presidential campaigns, and military 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. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. 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-639 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-639; PCGS #643138