An interesting lot in an upcoming Heritage auction. --- WOW!!! Sold for $2,040 w/juice.

keets

The June Long Beach Auction hosted by Heritage has an interesting lot in the "Medals" category that I thought I would bring here for discussion. It is an impaired example of a quite rare medal, HK-4/U.S. SemiCentennial of Independence from 1826 struck in White Metal. The SC$ has been encapsulated by PCGS as "Tooled-Unc Details" which seems appropriate. Following is a link and image:
https://coins.ha.com/itm/so-called-dollars/tokens-and-medals/1826-ms-us-semicentennial-medal-hk-4-r7-tooled-pcgs-genuine-unc-details-white-metal/a/1316-7541.s?ic4=ListView-ShortDescription-071515

This medal is one of the first listings by Hibler-Kappen, proceeded only by the Erie Canal Completion medals from the same year, 1926. It's interesting to note that on the date these medals Commemorate, July 4th, 1826, two former United States Presidents died, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. Though these were issued in four alloys the White Metal is by far the most common with perhaps 20 known to exist. It is listed as an R-7 in the 2nd edition of So-Called Dollars and rarely is offered for sale. As such, its importance in American history and to Numismatics is often taken for granted.

The medal from the auction is almost certainly an example that I "stumbled" into way back in 2007 and noted in this thread https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/562542/so-called-dollar-mini-hoard-and-still-more-pictures-added/p1 that I started at the time. A few posts into the thread I noted that the HK-4 appears to have had some rim damage repaired and is polished although I failed to note the hole and that the date had been effaced. The piece itself had a polished appearance and looked as if the rim had been filed in a few places. The date, 1826, can clearly be seen to have been removed for some reason.

At the time I owned it the only real game-in-town for SC$'s was NGC, so that's where I submitted it. After what seemed like a longer than normal period of time, presumably so they could do the required research needed, the medal came back to me in a body bag with a most peculiar notation --- Unable to establish Authenticity. In other words, NGC didn't think it was a counterfiet but they weren't willing to state that it was genuine. I accepted that sad news, kept the medal for a short period and then returned it to my boss per the terms of our arrangement. About two years later I received an unsolicited inquiry about the medal and we sold it, pleasantly surprised.

I never doubted that it was genuine but the condition of it was rough. As an important Numismatic artifact from expansionist-American History I always thought it had been quite disrespected. Someone, I thought, needed a trip to the woodshed!!!

You can imagine my surprise when I saw this Heritage listing several weeks ago. I feel convinced that it is the same medal. The suspension hole is oriented correctly, the date is missing, my memory recalls that spot on the shield and I feel confident that the rim has evidence of filing. Sadly, the images I had are long gone and would require someone like Matlock or Columbo to track down. But, alas, she finally has what's left of her respect back, properly attributed and encapsulated by our Host. I will be watching and bidding but I doubt I will chase this one down. If any of us is the successful bidder I would ask for a PM, please.

Thanks and enjoy.

Al H.

ReadyFireAim

I'm very interested in this fab-5 & the 21 coming to Pittsburgh.
(not going to be a bidder)

Another wonderful consignment is The Collection of a Distinguished WW2 Veteran, that features many classic Saint-Gaudens $20 rarities such as a 1920-S MS65 NGC, 1921 MS62 PCGS, 1927-S MS66 NGC, 1929 MS65 PCGS, 1930-S MS66 NGC, 1931 MS65 PCGS, 1931-D MS65 NGC, and a 1932 MS65 NGC.

Pioneer1

I am fortunate to own this medal... I can't say how many, but one of mine has the date ground off as well.... so it certainly is something someone did... perhaps to sell past the 1826 year (?) Owning one is these is owning a fairly significant piece of American history IMHO. After an extensive search at a big ANA show, I found 1-2 early American Political medals from the 1820s that has a similar Eagle style. Beyond HK-4 in WM, there is HK-2 in silver, HK-3 in copper (i've seen only a gilt-copper piece), as well as HK-1002.... almost unique I think as i've only ever seen either an obverse or reverse shell. I will be bidding on this piece in the HA but probably won't do well since a nearly completely corroded one fetched hundreds of dollars and a slabbed AU piece was $3-4K years ago if I remember correctly. The silver one I saw years ago went very fast for well over $5K.

Zoins

@Pioneer1 said:
I am fortunate to own this medal...
[...]
I will be bidding on this piece in the HA

When I read your post, I thought you were the consigner because it started off saying you own the medal, but then you wrote you were bidding?

Pioneer1

No I don't own the HA piece in the auction.... what I meant was that I own >1 of these SCDs.... not a "hoard" but > 1

Zoins

Good luck @Pioneer1 ! It would be great if the So-Called Dollar went from @keets to you!

Zoins

@keets said:
The medal from the auction is almost certainly an example that I "stumbled" into way back in 2007 and noted in this thread https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/562542/so-called-dollar-mini-hoard-and-still-more-pictures-added/p1 that I started at the time. A few posts into the thread I noted that the HK-4 appears to have had some rim damage repaired and is polished although I failed to note the hole and that the date had been effaced. The piece itself had a polished appearance and looked as if the rim had been filed in a few places. The date, 1826, can clearly be seen to have been removed for some reason.

Fixed link.

Zoins

Great post @keets!

Love the history on this piece, especially since it was part of the mini-hoard! It's also great to see it slabbed, by our hosts no less.

Here's the TrueView photo.

Pioneer1

Pioneer1

Here is the Goldberg piece in Silver.... another example with a full date...

Pioneer1

This is a political medal from 1828... a few years later.... the lettering on the reverse seems similar... the obverse eagle is different...

keets

so this SC$ closed last night and sold for $2,040 w/juice which seems high to me. we each set our standards and with the date effaced this was a medal I wouldn't want despite its overall condition, historical importance and rarity. hopefully the new owner can look past what distracts me and enjoy it for what it is, a nicely designed medal to commemorate the first 50 years of American Independence, tied to a time of great expansion when some of our Greatest, most influential Leaders were still alive.

Pioneer1

Well I didn't get it; prices were strong in the recent auction, so i'm not surprised in the price.... these SCDs just do not come up very often.....

Zoins

@Pioneer1 said:
Well I didn't get it; prices were strong in the recent auction, so i'm not surprised in the price.... these SCDs just do not come up very often.....

Sorry to hear that! It wasn't me. That's a very strong price for a damaged piece. As for rarity, how many of these have you run across?

I wonder if someone in the So-Called Fellowship got it.

Still, very nice to see pieces with the @keets So-Called Dollar Mini-Hoard provenance!

keets

how many of these have you run across?

I think I have seen less than five, this example sold previously at Stack's in 2015. the most interesting medal was an HK-3 in Copper that was actually two shells, struck independently and then soldered/brazed together with some filler in the middle. I think it may have been in one of Joe Levine's auctions. that was at a time when NGC still offered multi-coin holders and I was attempting to put together a "Jubilee" collection: 1776 Fugio Cent, 1826 Semi-Centennial HK-4, 1876 Centennial Exhibition HK-20, 1926 Sesqui-Centennial HK-452, 1976 Gold Bi-Centennial Medal.

I had three of the five, things were getting tough and NGC abandoned the holders so I gave up.

Pioneer1

I have seen only 6 and a half.... in other words one half of HK-1002.... I suspect there must be 9-12 total (or more) across HK-2, 3, 4, 1002.... problem is that they are tightly held and some of them may also be in ANA / ANS collections. I suspect the next time a silver one comes to market, it will be selling for five-figures easy...

Zoins

@Pioneer1 said:
I have seen only 6 and a half.... in other words one half of HK-1002....

If you only saw 1/2 of HK-1002 then should the description from so-calleddollars.com be updated?

"HK-1002 Brass. Apparently obverse and reverse planchets struck separately, then joined; piece believed to be unique."

problem is that they are tightly held and some of them may also be in ANA / ANS collections.

Great thing about the ANS is that @JesseKraft is here to help us get pics and history. They also have a great online site and ANS Magazine. I really like how the ANS collection pieces show up in the ANS Magazine articles.

It would be great to get someone from the ANA and NNC to participate here as well!

Pioneer1

Actually there is an HK-1002 intact. It was in the Presidential Auction many years ago. The 1/2 I saw was not the one from Joe Levine's auction.... so I know HK-1002 exists.... doubt it will be on the market for another 30 years...

Pioneer1

Ok, here is the 1/2 piece of HK-1002.......

Pioneer1

... and here is the variant of the 1826 US SemiCentennial Piece....