1934 HK-466, Cent. of Progress Ford Expo V8 Bronze Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$184 MS65 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1934 Cent. of Progress Ford Expo V8 so-called dollar (HK-466) is a commemorative piece from the Later Expositions & World's Fairs series. 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. Struck in bronze, this piece combines durability with an attractive warm tone that deepens with age into a rich chocolate-brown patina. Bronze was the preferred composition for many commemorative medals due to its excellent detail retention. 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. 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.

Rarity Notes

HK-466 is common to moderately scarce in the numismatic market. Production quantities for interwar period commemorative medals were typically modest, and survival rates vary significantly based on the original distribution method and the material's durability.

Cross References

HK-466; PCGS #644005; NGC #850768