1938 So-Called Dollar HK-699, Northwest Territory

Coin Details

Description

This 1938 local commemorative so-called dollar (HK-699) honors Northwest Territory in Ohio. Personal commemorative so-called dollars provide a medallic portrait gallery of Americans whose achievements merited recognition through specially struck pieces, preserving the faces and stories of notable figures. Struck in bronze, this piece showcases the detailed die work typical of American commemorative medals. Bronze's natural patina gives aged examples an appealing warm-brown surface that collectors prize. The Medallic Art Company was founded in 1903 in Manhattan by Henri Weil, who learned the Janvier reduction machine technique in Paris and repurposed die-stamping equipment from Deitsch Brothers, a ladies' handbag manufacturer, for medal production. Ohio's central location and rapid 19th-century growth made it one of the most active states for commemorative medal production, with communities from Cleveland to Cincinnati marking milestones with locally produced pieces. The HK numbering system established by Hibler and Kappen in 1963 brought order to hundreds of previously uncataloged American commemorative medals, many of which had been ignored by mainstream numismatic references. 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

Examples of HK-699 are scarce. Distribution was usually limited to event attendees and local residents, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-699; PCGS #643292