So-Called Dollar Discussions

ForumSo-Called Dollar Main Forum: HK 478-490a Golden Gate Int'l Exposition - 1939-40Charbneau 487-c; what's next?

Please or Register to create posts and topics.

Charbneau 487-c; what's next?

#1 · June 4, 2011, 6:55 pm

Hey guys; looks like this is a fairly small/new forum, but from the conversation I've already seen on charbneau dollars it's sounds like there's definitely some expertise in the room. So, long story short, I recently purchased and had certified a HK-487c (so that's the silver gilded, although I think some of these have a counterstamped "40" in the background? Is that right?) I'll try to post some photos below.. In any case, I sort of bought this almost by accident, and while I'm glad to have it I probably can't keep it; I primarily collect plain jane standard issue older us coinage, although I have really enjoyed learning about so called dollars this one in particular. My question is- what are my next steps? I've done a little research on all the major websites I could find (including this one) and I know there are lots of different types/subtypes/varieties- I don't know if anything about this one stands out to you? I haven't actually read the H-K book, so I don't know anything about value estimates except what I've seen of old auction records. Any thoughts/suggestions are greatly appreciated!

#2 · June 21, 2011, 1:09 pm

It is actually gold-plated copper, the NGC attribution is incorrect. We hope our reference work will help correct misattributions in the future. (BTW, I see you did sell this piece.)

#3 · June 26, 2011, 8:39 pm

Well, i'm the fellow who bought this, so I hope I did the right thing 🙂 Did I actually buy a HK-490? ... or is this something else? Regardless, it's pretty and I like it.

#4 · June 28, 2011, 10:32 pm

Yes, its HK-490. BTW, I'm Bill on CoinPeople. After working with Jeff on the new Charbneau book, I bought one of these for my own collection. I like this particular piece because of the stippled field on the obverse. I believe it is meant to represent the metal curtain that hung behind the Pacifica statue. There are only about 500 total pieces of all metals remaining. I'm not sure why NGC makes so many attribution errors for so-called dollars, but this is not the worst mistake that I have seen on so-called slabs.

#5 · June 29, 2011, 8:06 pm

Huh, well I guess I will buy the upcoming book and learn about all this. I guess I now own an HK-490 in an HK-487c holder. I guess I will contact NGC and figure out how to get it re-holdered... Thanks.

#6 · June 30, 2011, 9:40 pm

I will warn you that I always found the Charbneau dollars a bit odd. Then, I started working on the book with Jeff and after a couple of months of studying the pieces and working with the enlarged photographs (each of the obverses and reverse of the 13 varieties are illustrated at 165mm in diameter--the originals are 12mm) won me over. I now own the gold-plated copper, the 1939 silver piece with original box, a silver broach, and a silver 1939 with the 40 counterstamp looped for use as a charm. Our surviving population estimates range from 150 to 300. The gold-plated copper, gold-plated silver, and silver 1939 pieces would be the most common of the series, but what does common mean when their combined population is maybe half of the 300 high end population estimate? I treasure each and everyone, but 490 remains my personal favorite after living with this story for the past six months.