1915 So-Called Dollar HK-665a, Haverhill, 275th Anniversary

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 AU50 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Designated HK-665 in the Hibler-Kappen catalog, this 1915 piece commemorates Haverhill, 275th Ann. in Massachusetts. Biographical commemorative medals document the lives and contributions of individuals who shaped their communities, with portraits and inscriptions creating lasting tributes in metallic form. Bronze examples of so-called dollars offer collectors an excellent balance of affordability, condition, and aesthetic appeal. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes with fine detail that survives handling better than softer metals. 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. Massachusetts communities have produced commemorative medals since the earliest days of the republic, with the state's concentration of colonial history, maritime heritage, and intellectual achievement providing rich subject matter. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty. 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-665 are scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

HK-665; PCGS #643206