Hibler & Kappen's So-Called Dollars . . . let's see yours!

In my pursuit of interesting tokens, medals, and other exonumia, I have become more and more educated on items identified and cataloged by Harold E. Hibler and Charles V. Kappen as a series of exonumia they affectionately named "So-Called Dollars."

I searched CoinTalk high and low to find a similar thread, but came up empty, so I thought I would start the ball rolling.

Anyway, I started picking up some of the more affordable pieces when I run across them, but I am sure there are loads of types and examples I will never run across. I am interested in learning more about their minted quantities, original issue prices, and relative rarities. I am also interested in relative values in today's world.

What is interesting to note is that MANY of today's contemporary Numismatic and Coin Club medals are based either loosely or nearly identical to, So-Called Dollars and other commemorative coinage of bygone eras.

Here is a recent So-Called Dollar I picked up. I am very pleased with the condition and design of this piece. It is the . . . . . .


1904 Louisianan Purchase Expedition Official Souvenir Medal (HK-300)

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Gold plated bronze, 33mm

Obv. Conjoined busts l. (Napoleon & Jefferson); above, around • Louisiana • Purchase • Exposition •; below all Official • Souvenir •; beaded border.
Rev. Relief map of U.S. with Louisiana Purchase across that portion representing extent of purchase; above Louisiana Territory / 1803 / 1,000,000 Square Miles / $15,000,000.; below map St. Louis 1904, beaded border.

References from:
https://so-calleddollars.com/Events/Louisiana_Purchase_Exposition.html



Let's see yours . . . . !

Z

 

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Here's my first so-called dollar for my home state and city (HK520) - this one is pedigreed from the Jeff Shevlin Collection and I purchased it direct from him:


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HK-unlisted 1964 Montana centennial - I believe I got this one from Jeff as well:

 

@BuffaloHunter ,

That HK-520 is sweet . . . . !

I've never seen that one before.

Z

 

Yes, I bought mine from Jeff Shevlin as well, he's a member in my coin club! It's an HK-71, 1876 and it's super rare!

 

Some coin clubs, like the Glendale Coin Club, base their annual medal series off US Commemoratives and So-Called Dollars.

The 2019 Glendale Coin Club for instance, uses HK-12 as a pattern for it's obverse, and uses the 1925-S California Commemorative Half reverse as a pattern for it's reverse.

Of course the medal below was designed and struck by Daniel Carr of Moonlight Mint

Z




2019 Glendale Coin Club Medal

(click to enlarge)​

https://so-calleddollars.com/Events/Pacific_Railway_Completion.html

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Historical numismatic pieces used as patterns for the medal above.

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https://so-calleddollars.com/Events/Pacific_Railway_Completion.html

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When I think of the "so-called" dollars, I think of the Bryan dollars from the late 19th century. I would love to own one of them.

 

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Very nice!!

 

HK-909, Type II, 1924.

 

Well, that certainly is an interesting one - that I have never seen or heard of before . . . . .

Z

 

Yes, the Bryan Dollars are scd's, same as Bickford Dollars but not all. In case you never looked it up here's the link!

https://so-calleddollars.com/

 

Yeah, I was a bit surprised to see a KKK Medal is a SCD! Sign of the times for sure!

 

HK-514. Tipton, Missouri. Mintage of 2500.

 

HK-460, McCormick Reaper.
https://so-calleddollars.com/Events/McCormick_Reaper_Centennial.html

 

Here are a few of mine:

 

This one is thick! Interesting design:

 

I think what I like best about "So-Called Dollars" is the accessibility of these rare and vintage designs to the "everyman" collector.

Yeah, mine aren't "Top-Pop" by any stretch, but in the budget categories that I travel in, one can pick up quite a few nice examples of seldom seen numismatic history.

Z





1939 HK-482x (private issue) Golden Gate International Exhibition

(@dwhiz, I posted these for you . . . . . )













1960 HK-582 Pony Express Centennial (silver)
1960 HK-583 Pony Express Centennial (bronze)







And while not "high grade" I think these have an allure all their own . . . . . .

Z






1904 HK-299 Louisianan Purchase Exposition (silver)
1904 HK-300 Louisiana Purchase Exposition (gold plate bronze)








1893 HK-154 World's Columbian Exposition (Type I)

 

This thread has been dormant for too long. Picked up a few more along the way.

Engraved by William Barber to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Struck in silver at the Mint Exhibit at the exposition, and in bronze and gilt at the Philadelphia Mint.

1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia, PA
HK-21 / Julian CM-10 (Bronze)

 

Here's a trio of 1904 Louisiana Purchase Souvenir medals:

HK-299 in silver
HK-300 in gilt bronze
HK-301 in copper