1901 Lesher Dollar - HK-797, W.C. Alexander

Coin Details

Description

The 1901 Lesher Dollar HK-797, stamped for W.C. Alexander of Salida, Colorado, bears the distinctive three-line imprint "W. C. ALEXANDER / JEWELER / SALIDA, COLO." Alexander was a jeweler in Salida, a railroad town in the Upper Arkansas Valley approximately 100 miles west of Victor. His participation extended the geographic reach of Lesher's distribution network to yet another Colorado community, demonstrating the widespread interest in the Referendum Dollar concept across the state. A notable typographical quirk on Alexander pieces is that the second "A" in "SALIDA" is rendered as an inverted "V" — a characteristic of hand-stamped or hand-engraved lettering where the crossbar of the letter A was either forgotten or intentionally omitted. This consistent error appears across all known Alexander pieces, confirming it is a die or stamp characteristic rather than a random production variation. With approximately 50 pieces stamped and only about 14 survivors known as of January 2020, the Alexander variety is among the scarcer merchant types. Alexander's status as a jeweler — like Boyd Park in Denver and Sam Cohen in Victor — further demonstrates the precious metals trade's interest in Lesher's silver currency. Three of the thirteen documented merchant participants were jewelers, reflecting the natural affinity between precious metals dealers and a private silver coinage enterprise.

Rarity Notes

R-7. Approximately 50 stamped, with about 14 survivors known. Notable inverted "V" for second "A" in "SALIDA."

Cross References

HK-797; Zerbe-11 (Z-11); PCGS #19014