1939-1940 So-Called Dollar HK-487a, Charbneau Dollar

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-487a, this 1939 so-called dollar honors Charbneau. San Francisco's 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition occupied Treasure Island, a 400-acre artificial island built from 300,000 tons of boulders and dredged sand, later converted to Naval Station Treasure Island. This bronze so-called dollar represents the standard commemorative medal composition of its era. Bronze pieces were often the primary production run, with silver reserved for presentation copies and white metal for budget editions. 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 has been updated and expanded since its 1963 first edition, with later researchers adding newly discovered varieties and extending coverage into the modern era. This piece is a variant of HK-487, distinguished by differences in composition, die state, or striking characteristics that merit a separate catalog entry in the Hibler-Kappen reference.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-487a 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-487a; PCGS #644058; NGC #851692