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Question about 1915 HK-422 U.S. Expositions So-Called Dollar

SG58SG58 Posts: 63 ✭✭✭


These HK-422's are usually seen in gilt bronze. I don't see this one listed in Jeff Shevlin's book. Is this a different variety or has the gilt been removed and somebody silver plated it?

Comments

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 7,936 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 12, 2019 2:54AM

    IF the piece was at one time gilt (gold plated), then it would be possible to silver plate over the gold without having to remove the gold. In fact, the gold plating would make a good substrate for silver plating over it.

    However, somehow the piece shown doesn't necessarily look plated to me.

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nice SC... does not have the look of a plated item...Is it an item you own? What does the edge look like? Cheers, RickO

  • TreashuntTreashunt Posts: 6,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    agreed, check the edge.

    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • SG58SG58 Posts: 63 ✭✭✭

    Here is the reverse. The reverse is rotated 90 degrees (or so) to a medal turn. The edge is a completely plain silver/gray color. No embossing or numerals of any kind. Weighs in at 20.5 grams, 35.6 mm. Could be a white metal counterfeit.

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭

    weigh it but I think it is Silver.

  • SG58SG58 Posts: 63 ✭✭✭

    20.5 grams

  • keetskeets Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 15, 2019 1:10PM

    at 36mm. that may mean it is bronze, but you can check the weight of a known metal medal.

  • jonathanbjonathanb Posts: 3,411 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Intriguing piece. I also considered whether it might be a counterfeit. Based on the pictures, I think it isn't a counterfeit.. but that doesn't get me any closer to saying what it is.

  • RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Unusually ugly and cluttered - what committee designed it?

  • ZoinsZoins Posts: 33,811 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 15, 2019 10:34PM

    I like the design. The golden gate motif is nice and it provides and insight into what was important back then.

    It's not a single, strong allegorical design, but then I appreciate differences in design. Not every era needs to value the same designs.

  • THOMAS655THOMAS655 Posts: 65 ✭✭✭

    To my eye, the lettering and numbering on the reverse appears to be different. Especially the year and city names for Chicago, St Louis, Nashville, Atlanta and Omaha appear to be thicker than my example. The 8's and the 9's in the date appear to be filled in round areas of the numbers like the medal might have been plated.

  • SG58SG58 Posts: 63 ✭✭✭

    These pictures appear to be the same medal. It now appears to me that it was gilt bronze that was silver plated. The medal was dipped to remove dark toning and spots to lighten it up. The original pictures appear to show some slight evidence of the gilt layer, which is not apparent now. John Raymond's 2018 tally of SCD population on his website shows an entry for "HK-422 silver plate", but there are no items indicated there. This observation seems to be in line with what others have indicated.

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 31,499 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks silver plated to me. Do a specific gravity test.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.

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