1933 Brass So-Called Dollar HK-683, Santa Monica Breakwater

Coin Details

Description

HK-683 is a 1933 so-called dollar commemorating Santa Monica Breakwater in California. The tradition of honoring individuals with commemorative medals extends from formal congressional gold medals to locally produced pieces celebrating community leaders, educators, and benefactors. Brass so-called dollars occupy a middle ground in both cost and appearance between copper/bronze and silver issues. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes that retain detail well over time. After relocations from Manhattan to Danbury, Connecticut (1972), Sioux Falls, South Dakota (1991), and Dayton, Nevada (1997), the company's archive of 50,000 items including 20,000 dies was rescued by the American Numismatic Society in 2018. California's dramatic history — from the Gold Rush through the San Francisco earthquake to its emergence as America's most populous state — generated commemorative medals documenting the rapid transformation of the Pacific Coast. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. Local commemoratives from the Depression and wartime era (1930-1950) reflect both economic hardship and patriotic fervor, with communities marking milestones despite — or perhaps because of — the challenging times.

Rarity Notes

HK-683 is common to 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-683; PCGS #643249