1959 So-Called Dollar HK-565, Oregon Statehood Centennial

Coin Details

Description

This 1959 so-called dollar (HK-565) commemorates Oregon Statehood Centennial. The Century of Progress featured the Sky Ride, transporting visitors 218 feet above the lagoon in enclosed cars suspended between two 628-foot steel towers, and pioneered windowless buildings using prefabricated Masonite and plywood. 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. 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

Examples of HK-565 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-565; PCGS #642953; NGC #850906