1900 Silver Lesher Dollar HK-789a, C.D. Cowen Variant

Coin Details

Description

HK-789a is a Lesher Referendum Dollar from the series struck in Victor, Colorado, between 1900 and 1901 by mining man Joseph Lesher (1838-1918). This variety bears the counterstamp of A.B. Bumstead, a Victor grocer. The first type, struck from dies cut by Frank Hurd of Denver, consisted of 100 octagonal pieces weighing one troy ounce (480 grains) of .950 fine silver with a face value of $1.25. The scheme attracted support from A.B. Bumstead, a Victor grocer, for whom a second, more elaborate octagonal type was produced featuring a mining scene designed by Herman Otto, a Denver artist, with approximately 700 pieces manufactured. A brief round 'Bank Type' experiment (about 10 die trials) was quickly abandoned, and in 1901 Lesher produced a smaller (32mm), lighter (412.5 grains) octagonal imprint type at $1.00 face value with approximately 800 pieces across nine merchant varieties. A.B. Bumstead, a Victor grocer, was the first merchant to support Lesher's referendum concept. The Bumstead-type pieces featured a more elaborate mining scene designed by Herman Otto, a Denver artist, with approximately 700 pieces manufactured across two sub-varieties. The Lesher Referendum Dollars are cataloged from HK-787 through HK-797 and HK-1016 through HK-1021 in the Hibler-Kappen reference. With approximately 20 varieties including sub-varieties, every Lesher Dollar is genuinely rare. Robert D. Leonard Jr., Ken L. Hallenbeck, and Adna G. Wilde Jr. published the definitive modern study 'Forgotten Colorado Silver: Joseph Lesher's Defiant Coins.' Joseph Lesher died at his home in Victor on July 4, 1918, but his coins endure as prized specimens among so-called dollar specialists and Western Americana enthusiasts. Each HK number represents a distinct combination of design, composition, and die state, creating a collecting framework that rewards careful study and attention to detail. The monetary so-called dollars occupy a special niche within this framework, as they represent not just commemorative art but actual experiments in private coinage, political advocacy through medallic form, and commentary on the great monetary debates that shaped American economic history.

Rarity Notes

Lesher Referendum Dollars are rare across all varieties, with total mintage estimated at only a few hundred pieces per type. The C.D. Cowen variety is rare, with only a small number of known examples. Die variants and alternative compositions tend to be rarer than the standard types. These pieces are highly prized by collectors of both so-called dollars and Western Americana.

Cross References

HK-789a; PCGS #643503