1909 So-Called Dollar HK-655a, Belmont Semicentennial

Coin Details

Description

Designated HK-655 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1909 piece commemorates Belmont Semicentennial in Massachusetts. Community centennial celebrations followed a well-established pattern: a planning committee organized events, commissioned a commemorative medal, and distributed pieces to attendees as lasting souvenirs of the celebration. 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. In 1930, MACO's owner Clyde Curlee Trees co-founded the Society of Medalists, launching the longest-running art medal series in American history with 129 issues through 1995 by sculptors including Laura Gardin Fraser and Paul Manship. From Plymouth Rock to Bunker Hill, Massachusetts' central role in American history generated numerous commemorative medals celebrating the milestones of communities that shaped the nation's founding and development. So-called dollars — defined as privately issued medals approximately the size of a silver dollar — encompass one of the most diverse and historically rich collecting fields in American numismatics. 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-655 are scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

HK-655; PCGS #643179