1933 Aluminum So-Called Dollar HK-687, Santa Monica Aluminum

Coin Details

Auction Record

$184 MS-62 05-29-2007 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

Cataloged as HK-687, this 1933 so-called dollar commemorates Santa Monica Breakwater in California. Commemorative medals honoring individuals have been part of American medallic tradition since the nation's founding, with subjects ranging from presidents and military heroes to local civic leaders and cultural figures. Aluminum so-called dollars, while lighter than their traditional-metal counterparts, maintain sharp design detail due to the metal's excellent die-filling properties under pressure. Over its century-long history, the Medallic Art Company produced America's most prestigious awards including the Pulitzer Prize, Peabody Award, Newbery and Caldecott Medals, and presidential inaugural medals for eleven presidents. Golden State communities marked their milestones with commemorative medals that reflect California's unique blend of Spanish colonial heritage, Gold Rush entrepreneurship, and modern technological innovation. The Hibler-Kappen catalog, first published in 1963 by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen, systematically organized American so-called dollars for the first time, assigning HK numbers that remain the standard reference today. The 1930s-1940s produced fewer local commemorative medals than adjacent decades, but the pieces that were issued often carry particular historical significance as documents of community resilience during Depression and war.

Rarity Notes

HK-687 is moderately scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Local commemorative medals from the interwar period were typically produced in limited quantities for distribution at the celebration event.

Cross References

HK-687; PCGS #643257