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Jefferson "So-Called" Dollar.
keets
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I've had this coin/medal for about a year now, bought it locally off a dealer who purchased several of them from a collector. It's from a celebration in 1903-4 in St.Louis. Different types for different events seem to have been produced up through the early 1950's-60's as commemerative medals and are referred to as "So-Called Dollars" with at least one reference publication I've seen listing them. I was wondering if any members collect them, have any information they can share about this one or any comments.
I'm an obvious Jefferson fan what with the Nickels and all. The upcoming changes in the circulating coin and the commemerative for Lewis and Clark are a real charge for me. I noticed that France is going to commemerate the Louisiana Purchase with some Euro issues of their own. I've also been looking into starting to get a Peace Medal. But hey, that's another thread.
Here's the Jefferson. Tell me what you think. It's silver and slightly larger than a half-dollar with medalic orientation, though I have the reverse appearing as a coin. It's been cleaned and shows some contacts on the obverse and a few rim dings. Luster is so-so which would grade it as AU53-55 tops. I think Shiroh posted last sumer that ANACS would slab these, but there's really no need for that.
Enjoy.
Al H.
I'm an obvious Jefferson fan what with the Nickels and all. The upcoming changes in the circulating coin and the commemerative for Lewis and Clark are a real charge for me. I noticed that France is going to commemerate the Louisiana Purchase with some Euro issues of their own. I've also been looking into starting to get a Peace Medal. But hey, that's another thread.
Here's the Jefferson. Tell me what you think. It's silver and slightly larger than a half-dollar with medalic orientation, though I have the reverse appearing as a coin. It's been cleaned and shows some contacts on the obverse and a few rim dings. Luster is so-so which would grade it as AU53-55 tops. I think Shiroh posted last sumer that ANACS would slab these, but there's really no need for that.
Enjoy.
Al H.
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Comments
This medal was made for the 1904 Worlds Fair.
You probably knew that. Yours is probably silver.
They also made a lot of items for the same event in different metals.
Store cards, Elongated cents, Encased cents, Fractional gold coins.
The Expo. items are really cool with lots to pick from.
Edited to show the gold tokens mentioned above:
The Ludlow Brilliant Collection (1938-64)
All the medals & tokens pictured are impressive.
Got quoins?
al h.
I think these used to be sold at the memorial.
Seems like I gave $2 at a show.
These official souvenir medals were struck right on the fair grounds at the St.Louis Mint exhibit. Total of all medals was 90,000. The other fellow depicted with Jefferson was Napoleon.
The Silver piece was size 21 being .600 fine; it sold at first for $1, later for $1.25.
eureka identified this as a Hibler Kappen #299 which is correct and it is listed in H&K as being scarce.
Also it was struck in gold plated bronze (rare), coppper (extremely rare) yellow bronze, bronze and gilt. The yellow bronze "tarnished quickly" so these were replaced by just plain bronze. The value for yours was listed at $40.00 in my old 1963 H&K book.
There are TWO versions. I....had......both. One has a star where St. Louis is........and the other doesn't.
I sold "starless" about a year ago and just can't let go of the other as that map is really nice.
Now of course, I wouldn't expect the MINT to use such a design. They would sell too many of them and reduce the debt too much.