1949 So-Called Dollar HK-502, Sacramento Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$186 MS65 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

This 1949 so-called dollar (HK-502) commemorates Sacramento. 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. 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. 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

Strikings of HK-502 are scarce. Post-war era medals were often distributed at events, with many entering circulation as pocket pieces rather than being preserved as collectibles.

Cross References

HK-502; PCGS #644087; NGC #850826