1959 Silver So-Called Dollar HK-541, American Airlines Jet

Coin Details

Auction Record

$403 MS62 02-03-2009 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

Cataloged as HK-541, this 1959 so-called dollar honors American Airlines Jet. The 1939-1940 New York World's Fair in Flushing Meadows, organized around 'Building the World of Tomorrow,' featured the 610-foot Trylon spire, the 180-foot Perisphere, and introduced television and nylon to the American public. As a silver so-called dollar, this piece occupies the top tier of its series in terms of both metallic value and collector desirability. Silver strikings generally survive in lower numbers due to their limited original production. 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. The Hibler-Kappen catalog, first published in 1963 by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen, systematically organized American so-called dollars for the first time, assigning HK numbers that remain the standard reference today.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings of HK-541 are scarce to rare. 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-541; PCGS #642920; NGC #850878