1919 HK-902, WWI Victory Dollar

Coin Details

Description

This 1919 Thomas L. Elder victory medal (HK-902) is part of one of the most extensive privately produced World War I commemorative medal series in American numismatics. The Elder WWI series (HK-877 through HK-907), produced between 1917 and 1919, encompasses approximately 30 distinct catalog numbers struck in multiple metals including brass, bronze, aluminum, copper, silver, and antiqued copper, creating dozens of varieties. This constitutes one of the most extensive privately produced World War I commemorative medal series in American numismatics, reflecting Elder's entrepreneurial approach to medallic production. The series divides into three subcategories: peace medals commemorating the November 1918 Armistice and expressing hope for lasting peace; victory medals celebrating the Allied triumph in the Great War and the subsequent Versailles negotiations; and 'Good Luck' medals reflecting wartime superstitious practices, serving as both patriotic souvenirs and talismans for soldiers and their families during a period of profound national anxiety. 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

Thomas Elder WWI so-called dollars survive in varying numbers across the extensive series. Various compositions exist across the series, with silver being the rarest. Some HK numbers in the Elder WWI range are quite rare, while others are more readily available. The lettered variants (b, c, d suffixes) typically represent rarer die states or compositions.

Cross References

HK-902; PCGS #643726