1950 Gilt Bronze So-Called Dollar HK-504, California Centennial

Coin Details

Description

HK-504 is a 1950 so-called dollar commemorating California Centennial. The 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition in Dallas's Fair Park produced over 50 Art Deco buildings, many of which survive today, while providing 10,000 jobs and a $50 million economic boost during the Depression. Gilt so-called dollars served as affordable alternatives to solid gold issues while offering a premium appearance. The gilding process involved applying a thin gold layer through fire gilding, electroplating, or chemical deposition. 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

Examples of HK-504 are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Post-war era commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation.

Cross References

HK-504; PCGS #644091; NGC #850828