1939 Gilt Silver So-Called Dollar HK-487, Golden Gate Int'l Expo

Coin Details

Description

HK-487 is a 1939 so-called dollar commemorating Golden Gate Int'l Expo. Philadelphia's 1926 Sesqui-Centennial suffered rain on 107 of its 184 open days, drawing only 6.4 million visitors against a projected 50 million, though it produced an 80-foot replica of the Liberty Bell illuminated by 26,000 light bulbs. Silver examples of so-called dollars were produced for collectors and dignitaries, making them consistently scarcer than their base metal counterparts. The precious metal content adds intrinsic value beyond numismatic appeal. 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. So-called dollars — defined as privately issued medals approximately the size of a silver dollar — encompass one of the most diverse and historically rich collecting fields in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings of HK-487 are scarce to rare. Interwar period medals were often distributed at events, with many entering circulation as pocket pieces rather than being preserved as collectibles.

Cross References

HK-487; PCGS #644060; NGC #852245