1905 So-Called Dollar HK-876, Denver Mint Bronze

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,175 MS63BN 06-21-2017 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1905 Denver Mint commemorative (HK-876) is a bronze piece cataloged in the monetary section of the Hibler-Kappen so-called dollar reference. The United States Mint facility in Denver, Colorado, operated as an assay office from 1863 until authorized for full coinage production in 1906. The mint's establishment reflected Colorado's importance as a mining state and the practical need for a Western coinage facility to reduce transportation costs and delays in converting raw metal to currency. The Denver Mint became one of the nation's most productive facilities. 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

This 1905 so-called dollar is generally scarce in the numismatic market. Bronze examples are collected by specialists in so-called dollars and American medallic art.

Cross References

HK-876; PCGS #643675