1911 Alaska Gold Dollar Token - X-Tn23

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,680 PCGS Genuine 08-24-2023 eBay

Description

The 1911 Alaska Gold dollar, cataloged as X-Tn23, is the dollar-denomination companion to the X-Tn22 half dollar from the same late period of the Alaska territorial token series. The dollar denomination represents the largest commonly encountered value among Alaska gold tokens, providing a substantial unit of exchange within the territory's frontier economy. The dollar value carried significant purchasing power in 1911 Alaska, where wages for miners and laborers ranged from $3 to $8 per day depending on the district and the nature of the work. A gold dollar token thus represented a meaningful fraction of a day's earnings, suitable for major purchases at trading posts and general stores throughout the territory. The X-Tn23 Alaska gold dollar is among the final entries in the Alaska territorial token tradition that began during the Klondike rush of the late 1890s. The series spans approximately fifteen years, documenting Alaska's evolution from a wild frontier to an organized American territory. By 1911, the infrastructure of conventional banking and currency distribution was reaching most Alaskan communities, gradually eliminating the practical need for privately produced monetary tokens. The late-date Alaska tokens thus represent the twilight of a unique American monetary tradition, produced in small quantities for a shrinking market of communities still beyond the reach of regular federal currency supply.

Rarity Notes

Rare. The dollar denomination from 1911 is among the less common Alaska tokens. Approximately 15-25 examples survive. The series was approaching its end by this date.

Cross References

PCGS #525187; HK X-Tn23 (Alaska Territorial Token)