1939 Gilt Bronze So-Called Dollar HK-478, Golden Gate International Expo.

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-478, this 1939 so-called dollar honors Golden Gate International Expo. The 1939-1940 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, organized around 'Building the World of Tomorrow,' featured the 610-foot Trylon spire, the 180-foot Perisphere, and introduced television and nylon to the American public. The gilt composition represents a middle tier between base metal and precious metal strikings. The gold wash gives these pieces a striking appearance, though the gilt surface can wear with handling, making pristine examples scarce. 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. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty.

Rarity Notes

HK-478 is 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-478; PCGS #644039; NGC #850791