1959 So-Called Dollar HK-540, American Airlines Jet

Coin Details

Description

Cataloged as HK-540, 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. Bronze examples of so-called dollars offer collectors an excellent balance of affordability, condition, and aesthetic appeal. The alloy's hardness produces sharp strikes with fine detail that survives handling better than softer metals. 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. 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.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-540 are scarce. 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-540; PCGS #642919; NGC #850877