1959 So-Called Dollar HK-529, Ak-Hi Alaska-Hawaii Statehood

Coin Details

Auction Record

$780 MS63 06-10-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

The 1959 Ak-Hi Alaska-Hawaii Statehood so-called dollar (HK-529) is a commemorative piece from the Later Expositions & World's Fairs series. Chicago's 1933-1934 Century of Progress drew 48.8 million visitors across two seasons with its modernist Art Deco architecture along Lake Michigan, becoming the first international fair in American history to pay for itself. 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. 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. 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.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-529 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-529; PCGS #642896; NGC #850864