1959 So-Called Dollar HK-555, Oregon Statehood Centennial

Coin Details

Description

This 1959 so-called dollar (HK-555) commemorates Oregon Statehood Centennial. 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. This bronze so-called dollar represents the standard commemorative medal composition of its era. Bronze pieces were often the primary production run, with silver reserved for presentation copies and white metal for budget editions. 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. Collectors of so-called dollars pursue pieces by exposition, metal type, engraver, geographic region, or historical theme, with complete sets of certain exposition groups being particularly prized accomplishments.

Rarity Notes

Strikings of HK-555 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-555; PCGS #642940; NGC #850894