1901 Evacuation of Boston So-Called Dollars - HK-131

Zoins

I just picked up the following top pop MS65BN Evacuation of Boston So-Called Dollar. It's one of my favorite designs as it uses the same design from the Comita Americana Washington Before Boston medal, the only gold medal award to George Washington by Congress. This is a fairly common medal, but rare in higher grades. ATS there are 72 certified in BN and 6 in RB. The top pop overall is MS65BN pop 2/0 while the top RB is MS64RB pop 2/0.

What's interesting about this one is that photos show a black mark on the field above the soldiers. This isn't visible to me when looking it in hand but does show up when I take photos with my iPhone.

The photos are below. The one I have right now is the top one. The bottom medal is the other MS65BN specimen. Larger, full-width photos follow the side-by-side photos.

Let me know what you think.

winesteven

@Zoins, great pickup. Absolutely no doubt yours is much nicer than the only other one tied with yours for the top pop. Enjoy, and congrats.

ricko

Very nice SCD and great pictures too....Cheers, RickO

Zoins

Thanks @winesteven and @ricko! It’s not perfect but still very nice and nicer than other specimens I’ve seen. I was glad to be able to pick it up. It just needs a TrueView or PhotoVision now.

I have a growing number of top pops and ones with less than a handful higher. Definitely a fun evolution in collecting condition rarities for me.

THOMAS655

I saw the older slabbed example on Ebay. Didn't they start at over $7k or best offer? That is pretty steep money for the top pop of a quite common type. I saw where it relisted for $2,900 or best offer, still more than I would want to pay.

THOMAS655

Zoins, your example is far finer than the Ebay example. That is the best example that I have seen of that type by far!!

Zoins

@THOMAS655 said:
I saw the older slabbed example on Ebay. Didn't they start at over $7k or best offer? That is pretty steep money for the top pop of a quite common type. I saw where it relisted for $2,900 or best offer, still more than I would want to pay.

I saw it offered for a $6,700 starting bid but I'm not sure if it was higher before. I saved the following screenshot of this below. There are expensive So-Called Dollars, but most of the ones I've seen are absolutely rarities so this would have been unusual if it had sold at that price.

Zoins

@THOMAS655 said:
Zoins, your example is far finer than the Ebay example. That is the best example that I have seen of that type by far!!

Thanks Bruce! That means a lot coming from you. I was really fortunate to have been able to add this as it's one of my favorite designs.

Zoins

@Zoins said:

@THOMAS655 said:
I saw the older slabbed example on Ebay. Didn't they start at over $7k or best offer? That is pretty steep money for the top pop of a quite common type. I saw where it relisted for $2,900 or best offer, still more than I would want to pay.

I saw it offered for a $6,700 starting bid but I'm not sure if it was higher before. I saved the following screenshot of this below. There are expensive So-Called Dollars, but most of the ones I've seen are absolutely rarities so this would have been unusual if it had sold at that price.

Glad no one bit on the $6,700 price. It recently missed selling for less than 10% of that.

DCW

10% and still no bites?
It must be that funky toning that looks like the medal has been retoned after dipping

NumisOxide

Zoins, I like yours much better! Has the "chocolate" look I like!👍

Zoins

@coinJP said:
Zoins, I like yours much better! Has the "chocolate" look I like!👍

Thanks! It's a look I'm very fond of too

Zoins

So the 2nd one didn't sell for $489 on the following dates after which it was no longer available.

• Jul 29, 2020
• Aug 08, 2020
• Aug 09, 2020

Zoins

So, after getting the top pop, I got this HK-131

I got this because it looks like a partial brockage. You can see letters from the obverse impressed on the reverse from 4-6 o'clock.

I also posted this in the Friday Dreck thread but I'm guessing most people may not know what it is there.

Zoins

1901 Evacuation of Boston 125th Anniversary So-Called Dollar - Copper - by Whitehead & Hoag - HK-131, Baker 52R - NGC MS66BN POP 1/0 - Brian Hodge (d)

Back in 2019 when I started this thread and both of the HK-131 SCDs in the OP were available, both were NGC MS65BN POP 2/0.

Today, they are NGC POP 2/1 as there is a NGC MS66BN in existence. I just ran across photos and thought I'd post it here. After looking it over, I'm still like my MS65BN, so I might have to live with knowing there is a higher graded specimen.

Photos by Brian Hodge of Minshull Trading,

Broadstruck

@Zoins said:

Today, they are NGC POP 2/1 as there is a NGC MS66BN in existence. I just ran across photos and thought I'd post it here. After looking it over, I'm still like my MS65BN, so I might have to live with knowing there is a higher graded specimen.

I have bought and then sold a multitude of top pop TPGS slabbed exonumia items ending up with a lower graded example which in my opinion bettered those overall. I've taken these grading contests and know how fast these graders need to form an opinion. There's so many other variables that also take place one being some TPGS's do not have dedicated exonumia dept or graders. So the item may be graded by someone that has never seen another example before and was just grading proof Statehood Quarters the day before. So focusing on just the label grade in this hobby instead of what's entombed below does not guarantee you will yield a grand collection. As if you don't take the time to become your own expert in any part of this hobby your Top Pop treasure may very well just be glorified crap.

ZoidMeister

Thanks for resurrecting this thread @Zoins . You and @coinsarefun have been huge inspirations for my inner exonumia hound (aroooo).

While Zoid will never be in competition for "top pop" pieces, the inspiration you have provided still gives me the "thrill of the hunt."

I was fortunate to have secured this example of the HK-131 off the bay. I especially like the nice "woodie" coloration of the reverse.

Again, I appreciate the inspiration and education that you bring to the forum. I dedicate this one to you.

Z
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Namvet69

The scenic overlook of the harbor is epic. Glad I saw this thread. Peace Roy