1910 Bryan Dollar HK-782, Gorham, S-10 1910 Strike

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-782 in the Hibler-Kappen reference, this 1910 Bryan Dollar documents the most intense monetary policy debate since the founding of the Republic. This variety: 870 Grains, 52mm, July 4, 1900, cartwheel reverse. William Jennings Bryan, born March 19, 1860, in Salem, Illinois, delivered his legendary 'Cross of Gold' speech at the Chicago Coliseum on July 9, 1896, closing the platform debate on the third day of the Democratic National Convention. The relatively unknown Nebraska delegate electrified the hall and secured the Democratic nomination on the fifth ballot at age 36, becoming the youngest presidential nominee in American history. Bryan championed bimetallism at a ratio of sixteen ounces of silver to one ounce of gold, arguing that expanding the money supply through silver coinage would relieve the crushing debt burden on farmers and workers. Gorham Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island, founded in 1831, was the world's largest silver company and produced several Bryan Dollar varieties with distinctive cartwheel reverses. This variety is distinguished by its specifications: 870 Grains, 52mm, July 4, 1900, cartwheel reverse. Bryan lost to William McKinley in both 1896 and 1900, then lost to William Howard Taft in 1908. He served as Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915, negotiating peace treaties with thirty nations before resigning over Wilson's confrontational stance toward Germany after the Lusitania sinking. Bryan later became famous for his prosecution role in the Scopes 'Monkey Trial' in Dayton, Tennessee, where he died on July 26, 1925, five days after the trial concluded. The so-called dollar collecting community has grown significantly since the Hibler-Kappen catalog's initial publication, with specialized dealers, dedicated reference works, and an active collector base supporting a market that values historical significance, artistic merit, rarity, and condition. Heritage Auctions, Stack's Bowers, and other major numismatic auction houses regularly feature so-called dollars in their sales.

Rarity Notes

Bryan Dollars survive in varying numbers depending on the manufacturer and variety. Gorham-manufactured pieces are among the more available Bryan Dollar varieties.

Cross References

HK-782