1906 So-Called Dollar HK-653, Cincinnati Fall Festival

Coin Details

Description

Designated HK-653 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1906 piece commemorates Cincinnati Fall Festival in Ohio. Regional expositions and county fairs were among the most anticipated annual events in American communities, with commemorative medals providing lasting souvenirs for the thousands of attendees who visited exhibits and entertainments. This bronze so-called dollar represents the standard commemorative medal composition of its era. Bronze pieces were often the primary production run, with silver reserved for presentation copies and white metal for budget editions. The Medallic Art Company was founded in 1903 in Manhattan by Henri Weil, who learned the Janvier reduction machine technique in Paris and repurposed die-stamping equipment from Deitsch Brothers, a ladies' handbag manufacturer, for medal production. The Buckeye State's rich industrial and agricultural heritage generated numerous commemorative medals celebrating the achievements of Ohio communities from the Western Reserve to the Ohio River Valley. The HK numbering system established by Hibler and Kappen in 1963 brought order to hundreds of previously uncataloged American commemorative medals, many of which had been ignored by mainstream numismatic references. The early 20th century saw a flourishing of local commemorative medal production, as improved manufacturing techniques and growing civic consciousness combined to make medal issuance accessible to communities of all sizes.

Rarity Notes

Local commemorative so-called dollars from the Progressive Era survive in varying quantities. Examples of HK-653 are scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

HK-653; PCGS #643170