1898 HK-281, Trans-Mississippi Expo Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$408 MS62 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Designated HK-281 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1898 piece commemorates Trans-Mississippi Expo. The South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition of 1901-1902 in Charleston, while smaller, produced its own commemorative medals celebrating the region's agricultural and industrial recovery after the Civil War. Bronze examples of so-called dollars offer collectors an excellent balance of affordability, condition, and aesthetic appeal. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes with fine detail that survives handling better than softer metals. Trans-Mississippi and Pan-American medals were struck by both official exposition mints and private concessionaires. The McKinley assassination generated additional memorial medal production. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty.

Rarity Notes

So-called dollars from the Gilded Age were produced in limited quantities for distribution at events or through numismatic channels. Examples of HK-281 are scarce, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-281; PCGS #513235; NGC #850491