Some So-Called Dollars---Ever seen a Greenbuck Dollar, Ford Dollar or the first Buffalo Dollar plus
keets
Posts: 25,351 ✭✭✭✭✭
I didn't think so!!!
HK-467
It's a medal in Bronze from the 1933 Worlds Fair in Chicago. Many of the medals from that exposition reflect the style of the era, Art Nouveau/Art Deco, very modern for the time and strangely optimistic given the fact that the country was in the midst of a Depression. The medal itself is toned in a fashion which suggests it was in a holder of some type. The design is quite involved and struck in high relief with the obverse being a quasi-Liberty figure---the words I Will across Her headband---holding a log cabin in front and below the skyscrapers of then modern Chicago floating atop a cloud-bank, all superimposed on the spokes of a wheel!!! The reverse shows a view of Lake Michigan and the Exposition grounds with several small sailboats and other ships in the harbor.
A peculiarity of the medal's design is the eagle figurine shown at the top of both sides which seems similar to some of the designs employed by Nazi Germany in years to come. Some medals from the era also used a Swastika, an ancient symbol of Good Fortune which would be perverted by the Nazi Party. The most striking example that comes to mind is a medal by Adam Pietz from the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia!!!! I was outbid on one of those about a week ago.
The Greenbuck Dollar is listed as rare by Hibler/Kappen with 51-250 believed to exist and there estimates and research are fairly reliable. At that, this is only the second one I've come across. I'll be sending it to NGC for encapsulation, the best way I can think of to protect and preserve it. No need for NCS to look at it, the surfaces are choice and original and the medal should holder at MS64-65.
BTW, that's a stray hair inside the flip on the obverse.
HK-465
This next one is a Ford Dollar and I sure hope it doesn't need any explanation as far as who made it!!! The obverse is a representation of a 1933 Ford radiator/grille and the reverse shows a large V-8, quite simple compared to some medal designs. The detail is exquisite on the grille with all the vertical lines clear and even the little "Ford" logo we all know and love easily readable with a 3X loupe. This one is also bronze and has slight discoloration but a lot of red. Again, it'll go to NGC for encapsulation and should grade MS63RB. The dust, white spots and glare are anomalies.
Again, this medal is listed as rare with 51-250 known, but i've seen others regularly. There's one listed at eBay now.
HK-291
Well, that brings us to the first Buffalo Dollar from the 1901 Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York. The Exposition holds claim to historical significance since it was in the Temple of Music on the Exposition grounds that President McKinley was shot on September 6th and subsequently died on September 14th.
The disturbances in the fields aren't nearly as bad as they appear, but this medal is struck in brass which is more reactive. Further, it was no doubt a lovely DCAM at striking and still has some cameo and a PL appearance. This one was issued by the Exposition to offset costs, but due to it's delicate nature and probably poor sales it didn't survive very well. Hibler/Kappen list it as Very Rare with 21-50 known. I'll send this to NCS for evaluation but I doubt they'll do anything. The combination of die polish/hairlines and the field oxidation may prevent NGC from holdering it. It'll probably come back in an NCS authentication holder. At that, I'd call it MS63PL.
HK-301
This is a medal from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 held in St. Louis which will be hosting the Central States Anniversary this May. While the medal was struck in several alloys all but the Gold Plated bronze are common while the silver retains value due to the composition. The one pictured is Copper and was unknown to the authors until they undertook the research for their book. It's listed as extremely rare with 5-20 examples known and although it was apparently cleaned at some time in it's life, NGC should holder it around AU50. I own examples in copper, silver and yellow bronze, all with that wonderful medallic quality of high relief that we so treasure and miss on our coinage!!
HK-243a
Here's a neat vanity issue that I may have posted before. It's associated with the 1892-3 Columbian Exposition and is a tribute to the woman who's image is portrayed on the obverse, Mrs. Potter-Palmer, a Chicago socialite and President of the Board of Lady Managers which helped give us the Isabella Quarter. The design elements are simple and self-explanatory. Hibler/Kappen list it as extremely rare with 5-20 known and I did a bit of research on this one. It seems the board of Lady Managers consisted of 19 At-Large-Members plus the President of the Board, so it's likely that each who served was given an example of the medal. Also, if you look at the left border of the obverse you might notice the lettering-----Childs.
This one's struck in aluminum and is slightly larger than a Morgan Dollar. The overall surface quality is clean but there is some easily seen corrosion/porosity inside the wreath on the reverse. That might force it into an NCS authentication holder instead of an XF40 NGC.
Al H.
HK-467
It's a medal in Bronze from the 1933 Worlds Fair in Chicago. Many of the medals from that exposition reflect the style of the era, Art Nouveau/Art Deco, very modern for the time and strangely optimistic given the fact that the country was in the midst of a Depression. The medal itself is toned in a fashion which suggests it was in a holder of some type. The design is quite involved and struck in high relief with the obverse being a quasi-Liberty figure---the words I Will across Her headband---holding a log cabin in front and below the skyscrapers of then modern Chicago floating atop a cloud-bank, all superimposed on the spokes of a wheel!!! The reverse shows a view of Lake Michigan and the Exposition grounds with several small sailboats and other ships in the harbor.
A peculiarity of the medal's design is the eagle figurine shown at the top of both sides which seems similar to some of the designs employed by Nazi Germany in years to come. Some medals from the era also used a Swastika, an ancient symbol of Good Fortune which would be perverted by the Nazi Party. The most striking example that comes to mind is a medal by Adam Pietz from the 1926 Sesquicentennial Exposition in Philadelphia!!!! I was outbid on one of those about a week ago.
The Greenbuck Dollar is listed as rare by Hibler/Kappen with 51-250 believed to exist and there estimates and research are fairly reliable. At that, this is only the second one I've come across. I'll be sending it to NGC for encapsulation, the best way I can think of to protect and preserve it. No need for NCS to look at it, the surfaces are choice and original and the medal should holder at MS64-65.
BTW, that's a stray hair inside the flip on the obverse.
HK-465
This next one is a Ford Dollar and I sure hope it doesn't need any explanation as far as who made it!!! The obverse is a representation of a 1933 Ford radiator/grille and the reverse shows a large V-8, quite simple compared to some medal designs. The detail is exquisite on the grille with all the vertical lines clear and even the little "Ford" logo we all know and love easily readable with a 3X loupe. This one is also bronze and has slight discoloration but a lot of red. Again, it'll go to NGC for encapsulation and should grade MS63RB. The dust, white spots and glare are anomalies.
Again, this medal is listed as rare with 51-250 known, but i've seen others regularly. There's one listed at eBay now.
HK-291
Well, that brings us to the first Buffalo Dollar from the 1901 Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York. The Exposition holds claim to historical significance since it was in the Temple of Music on the Exposition grounds that President McKinley was shot on September 6th and subsequently died on September 14th.
The disturbances in the fields aren't nearly as bad as they appear, but this medal is struck in brass which is more reactive. Further, it was no doubt a lovely DCAM at striking and still has some cameo and a PL appearance. This one was issued by the Exposition to offset costs, but due to it's delicate nature and probably poor sales it didn't survive very well. Hibler/Kappen list it as Very Rare with 21-50 known. I'll send this to NCS for evaluation but I doubt they'll do anything. The combination of die polish/hairlines and the field oxidation may prevent NGC from holdering it. It'll probably come back in an NCS authentication holder. At that, I'd call it MS63PL.
HK-301
This is a medal from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904 held in St. Louis which will be hosting the Central States Anniversary this May. While the medal was struck in several alloys all but the Gold Plated bronze are common while the silver retains value due to the composition. The one pictured is Copper and was unknown to the authors until they undertook the research for their book. It's listed as extremely rare with 5-20 examples known and although it was apparently cleaned at some time in it's life, NGC should holder it around AU50. I own examples in copper, silver and yellow bronze, all with that wonderful medallic quality of high relief that we so treasure and miss on our coinage!!
HK-243a
Here's a neat vanity issue that I may have posted before. It's associated with the 1892-3 Columbian Exposition and is a tribute to the woman who's image is portrayed on the obverse, Mrs. Potter-Palmer, a Chicago socialite and President of the Board of Lady Managers which helped give us the Isabella Quarter. The design elements are simple and self-explanatory. Hibler/Kappen list it as extremely rare with 5-20 known and I did a bit of research on this one. It seems the board of Lady Managers consisted of 19 At-Large-Members plus the President of the Board, so it's likely that each who served was given an example of the medal. Also, if you look at the left border of the obverse you might notice the lettering-----Childs.
This one's struck in aluminum and is slightly larger than a Morgan Dollar. The overall surface quality is clean but there is some easily seen corrosion/porosity inside the wreath on the reverse. That might force it into an NCS authentication holder instead of an XF40 NGC.
Al H.
0
Comments
Didn't wanna get me no trade
Never want to be like papa
Working for the boss every night and day
--"Happy", by the Rolling Stones (1972)
i'll try to answer your questions. this is the official medal from the exposition, which was struck by the U.S. Mint at the Mint exhibit on the Exposition grounds. about a dozen other medals were struck and issued by private individuals/corporations/institutions as varied as A & P and the Ford Motor Company as well as the state of Michigan and a couple of other countries. i'll try to post a picture of a Ford Dollar and a Michigan Dollar in a short while. most were struck either to offset the cost of the Expostion or as advertising tokens.
this particular Worlds Fair was unique in that it payed off it's debts, reimbursed bond holders plus interest and had a cash surplus---all during the depression!!!!
getting to rarity and comparing it to similarly rare coins, don't even go there. price is always a factor of demand and there just isn't that much demand in So-Called Dollars, a peculiarity which i attribute to collector ignorance /laziness, but i'm grateful all the same.
al h.
Greg
I really admire a collection like that -- where even the fattest checkbook can't put a big set together in a month or two. You gotta hunt those rascals down!
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
<< <i>Neat Medal! You sure manage to come up with some neat items
Agreed!
What a wonderful display all these medals would make together.
Regarding that Ford medal. There is one at a local shop that is ANACS net graded for corrosion and even then the Dealer is asking $60. for it.
peacockcoins
nice to see you!!!!
al h.
i spoke with the owner of Hallenbeck Coins at last summers ANA Show and apparently he's the one doing the update. he seemed to indicate that he'll pretty much be doing a revision of the original work by Hibler and Kappen, adding some previously overlooked medals, updating from 1962-Present and verifying the rarity figures that were in the original publication. he stopped short of providing a completion date.
al h.
<< <i>RE: a new SC$ Book.
i spoke with the owner of Hallenbeck Coins at last summers ANA Show and apparently he's the one doing the update. he seemed to indicate that he'll pretty much be doing a revision of the original work by Hibler and Kappen, adding some previously overlooked medals, updating from 1962-Present and verifying the rarity figures that were in the original publication. he stopped short of providing a completion date.
al h.
Very interesting!
The Ford dollar is probably much more common than the indicated figures. It is
not often seen in nice condition though. HK-301 (LA purchase) is also relatively
common and is often seen nice.