1954 Gilt Brass So-Called Dollar HK-704, Mariposa Court House

Coin Details

Description

This commemorative medal (HK-704) from 1954 celebrates Mariposa Court House in California. Personal commemorative so-called dollars provide a medallic portrait gallery of Americans whose achievements merited recognition through specially struck pieces, preserving the faces and stories of notable figures. 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. In 1930, MACO's owner Clyde Curlee Trees co-founded the Society of Medalists, launching the longest-running art medal series in American history with 129 issues through 1995 by sculptors including Laura Gardin Fraser and Paul Manship. Golden State communities marked their milestones with commemorative medals that reflect California's unique blend of Spanish colonial heritage, Gold Rush entrepreneurship, and modern technological innovation. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments. Mid-20th-century local commemoratives reflect the suburban expansion and civic optimism of postwar America, with communities from coast to coast marking centennials, sesquicentennials, and other milestones with specially produced medals.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-704 are scarce. Distribution was usually limited to event attendees and local residents, with surviving pieces ranging from well-worn pocket pieces to carefully preserved specimens.

Cross References

HK-704; PCGS #643306