1958 So-Called Dollar HK-749, Convair Astronautics

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-749, this 1958 so-called dollar commemorates Convair Astronautics in California. The tradition of honoring individuals with commemorative medals extends from formal congressional gold medals to locally produced pieces celebrating community leaders, educators, and benefactors. 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. 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. California's dramatic history — from the Gold Rush through the San Francisco earthquake to its emergence as America's most populous state — generated commemorative medals documenting the rapid transformation of the Pacific Coast. 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. The postwar boom of 1950-1976 was the golden age of local commemorative medal production, with the Heraldic Art Company and other manufacturers producing hundreds of pieces for community celebrations across America.

Rarity Notes

Local commemorative so-called dollars from the mid-20th century survive in varying quantities. Examples of HK-749 are scarce in the numismatic market.

Cross References

HK-749; PCGS #643423