1954 So-Called Dollar HK-745, Wabash Railroad Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$100 MS66 04-26-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

HK-745 is a 1954 so-called dollar commemorating Wabash Railroad Cent. in Illinois. Commemorative medals honoring individuals have been part of American medallic tradition since the nation's founding, with subjects ranging from presidents and military heroes to local civic leaders and cultural figures. The bronze composition of this piece reflects the medallic tradition dating to classical antiquity. Bronze so-called dollars typically survive in better condition than white metal examples due to the alloy's greater hardness and durability. 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. Illinois communities, centered on Chicago's commercial and industrial growth, produced commemorative medals documenting the state's transformation from frontier territory to one of America's most important industrial and agricultural states. 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. 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-745 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-745; PCGS #643412