1901 Silver Lesher Dollar HK-1017, John W. Williams

Coin Details

Description

This Lesher Referendum Dollar (HK-1017) documents Joseph Lesher's grassroots Free Silver experiment — he called them 'Referendum' dollars because no one was compelled to accept them; they were referred to the people for acceptance or rejection. This 1901 variety is from the second year of production. 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. Goodspeeds & Co. of Colorado Springs received only about 15 pieces, making their variety among the rarest Lesher merchant imprints. On November 13, 1900, in the small mining town of Victor, Colorado, Joseph Lesher (1838-1918) struck the first of his privately issued silver dollars. Born in Fremont, Ohio, on July 12, 1838, Lesher had settled in Victor in the heart of the Cripple Creek mining district, one of the richest gold-producing regions in Colorado. Frustrated by the federal government's refusal to coin silver freely after the Coinage Act of 1873, Lesher created his own silver currency, calling them 'Referendum' dollars because no one was compelled to accept them — they were referred to the people for acceptance or rejection. 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

Lesher Referendum Dollars are rare across all varieties, with total mintage estimated at only a few hundred pieces per type. The John W. Williams variety is rare, with only a small number of known examples. These pieces are highly prized by collectors of both so-called dollars and Western Americana.

Cross References

HK-1017; PCGS #643780