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 Replies: 15 / Views: 4,950 |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12256 Posts |
I'm not sure how much interest there is in so-called dollars here on CCF, but I though I'd launch a thread about them and see where things go. Hopefully, a great number and variety of SCDs will be posted over time. To start things off, here's one from my collection. It's a medal struck by the US Mint in 1905 for the Lewis & Clark Centennial and American Pacific Exposition (most typically referred to simply as the Lewis and Clark Exposition); the Exposition was held in Portland, Oregon. It is HK-326, which is the gold-plated bronze version of the medal; it was also available in silver (HK-325) and bronze (HK-327). The Mint had an exhibit area at the Exposition and struck the souvenir medals on site during the Exposition. The obverse features Lady Columbia, symbolic of Progress, leading Lewis and Clark toward the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean. It is based on the official emblem of the Exposition which was titled "Into the Setting Sun." The reverse features a map of the Pacific Northwest with various trade routes from Portland marked by lines.   Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
Edited by commems
05/03/2013 6:42 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Very interesting! Another piece of history. Why are they called "So-Called Dollars?"
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1054 Posts |
I don't know why they're dubbed "so-called dollars", but that medal is pretty sweet!
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12256 Posts |
The term "so-called dollars" became part of the numismatic lingo in the late 1800s. It was used to refer to commemorative medals that were the same size (or nearly so) as the US silver dollar. Richard Kenney, the author of the first catalogue of so-called dollars in 1953, states that the term was first "applied to the official dollar-sized medal of the Centennial Exposition" which took place in 1876 at Philadelphia. Today, the term is often misused and applied to a range of medals and tokens regardless of size. For example, I've seen many ebay sellers incorrectly use the term to describe "Good For" tokens. Such items are most definitely not so-called dollars. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Well, let's see one of those Philadelphia Centennial Exposition so-called dollars!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Here's one for you commems and philadelphian.   Obv. Draped bust Washington l. within open wreath of palm and oak; around 100th anniversary of the Declaration / of Independence * July 4, 1876 Rev. Dedicated / to the / Children / of / America; around, open wreath of laurel and oak; at top, 1876 Edited by amida17
05/03/2013 8:41 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12256 Posts |
@amida17: Nice! Thanks for sharing. @philadelphian: Here's an example of the official Centennial medal to which Kenney was referring; it was struck by the US Mint. This is a gilt example (HK-22); silver and bronze medals were also struck. The obverse depicts a rising figure of Liberty (or Genius of American Independence) with a sword in her right hand representing strength and willingness to fight to protect America's freedom, and an upraised left arm reaching toward a constellation of 13 stars which represent the original 13 colonies. The reverse is more simple, basically just commemorative inscriptions.   Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
Edited by commems
05/03/2013 10:39 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
2490 Posts |
[URL="http://s644.photobucket.com/user/bagerap/media/MEDALS/chi1-1.jpg.html] [/URL]Columbian Exhibition 1893 Type II Eglit 23a HK-155
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
United States
12256 Posts |
Philadelphian: The medal references I use that include the US Centennial medal identify the allegorical female on the medal as either "Liberty" (e.g., R. W. Julian's Medals of the United States Mint, Richard Kenney's So-Called Dollars) or "Genius of America" (e.g., Hibbler & Kappen's So-Called Dollars). As Liberty and Columbia were often used interchangeably in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it doesn't surprise me that references to both allegorical personifications of the US (Liberty and Columbia) can be found in connection with the US Centennial. Similarly, I have found multiple examples of US commemorative coins in which some catalogers use "Liberty" and others use "Columbia" to name the allegorical female depicted.
An interesting side note, the Act of Congress that authorized the Centennial medals required the design to have "appropriate devices, emblems and inscriptions, commemorative of the Centennial Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence..." but did not give specifics as to how it should be achieved. Those details were left to the Centennial Commission and the US Mint.
Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Valued Member
United States
447 Posts |
Edited by CCya
05/05/2013 11:54 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7187 Posts |
CCya, wow great pieces! This one is cool. [URL="http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/muddler5/media/R1-05792-019A.jpg.html]  [/URL] [URL="http://s1231.photobucket.com/user/muddler5/media/R1-05792-018A.jpg.html]  [/URL] |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
627 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
156 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3253 Posts |
Very cool, judd! Especially the White!
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Replies: 15 / Views: 4,950 |
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Posted 05/03/2013 4:12 pm
