1926 So-Called Dollar HK-453, Sesquicentennial

Coin Details

Auction Record

$456 MS65 10-26-2022 Heritage Auctions

Description

HK-453 is a 1926 so-called dollar commemorating Sesquicentennial. Chicago's 1933-1934 Century of Progress drew 48.8 million visitors across two seasons with its modernist Art Deco architecture along Lake Michigan, becoming the first international fair in American history to pay for itself. The bronze composition of this piece reflects the medallic tradition dating to classical antiquity. Bronze so-called dollars typically survive in better condition than white metal examples due to the alloy's greater hardness and durability. Later exposition medals were produced by a mix of U.S. Mint issues and private manufacturers, with many struck in lower quantities than the great 19th-century fairs. The Century of Progress and New York World's Fair generated the most varieties. 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.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-453 are scarce. Interwar period medals were often distributed at events, with many entering circulation as pocket pieces rather than being preserved as collectibles.

Cross References

HK-453; PCGS #643979; NGC #850748