1901 Silver Lesher Dollar HK-797, H.A. Schlaepfer

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-797, this Lesher Referendum Dollar represents one of the most remarkable private monetary experiments in American numismatic history — a Colorado mining man putting his free silver beliefs into tangible metallic form. With an estimated mintage of 50 pieces, this variety is rare. 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. W.C. Alexander, a Salida jeweler, received approximately 50 pieces, demonstrating that Lesher's currency experiment reached beyond the immediate Cripple Creek district to communities along the Arkansas River. 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. 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 H.A. Schlaepfer 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-797; PCGS #643515