The keets collection of So-Called Dollars

May 13, 2023

One of the notable collectors of So-Called Dollars is my friend "keets" on the Collectors Universe PCGS message forums. His posts are thought provoking, passionate, and often contain his beautiful specimens of So-Called Dollars, showing a great interest for the medals and collecting in general. We started posting on the Collectors Universe Message Boards at a time before PCGS certified So-Called Dollars and got to see PCGS enter this field and become a provider for more and more colllectors. Keets was also an early proponent of posting beautiful photography online when it was rare to do with So-Called Dollars, having commissioned PCGS to photograph his medals.

His collection was filled with eye-appealing pieces, but some areas of focus stood out including:

1. Columbian Exposition
2. Albany Bicentennial
3. Bickford Dollars
4. Thomas Elder issues
5. Eutopia Dollar

Of note, he also owned the discovery specimen of the HK-27 5-pointed star major variety discussed in the article New Discovery: 1876 Independence Hall With Trees So-Called Dollar (HK-27) 5 and 6-pointed Star Varieties.

As with many collectors, there comes a time to wind down one's collection, and let others enjoy and take care of those pieces. I have been lucky enough to have been able to acquire some choice pieces from his collection, and consider myself priviledged to do so.

This page was done in collaboration with keets and is a tribute to him and his collecting. The following is a list of his So-Called Dollars.

1. HK-15, Pilgrim Jubilee Memorial in Brass/MS63
2. HK-17, Battle of Lexington/PR65
3. HK-22, U.S. Centennial/MS62
4. HK-27, US Centennial Expo-Liberty Bell in Copper/MS62
5. HK-120, Wyoming (PA) Battle Centennial in Bronze/MS65BN
6. HK-125, Battle of Groton Heights in White Metal/MS63
7. HK-125b, Battle of Groton Heights in Bronze/MS67BN
8. HK-220, Columbian Exposition Liberty Head/MS65BN
9. HK-220a, Columbian Exposition Low Relief Liberty Head/AU55
10. HK-222a, World's Columbian Expo in Aluminum/PR65DCAM
11. HK-291, Pan-American Exposition Buffalo Dollar/MS63
12. HK-299, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Souvenir Medal/MS63
13. HK-301, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Souvenir Medal/MS64BN
14. HK-327, Lewis & Clark Expoin Bronze/MS64BN
15. HK-392, Brian Boru Dollar in Aluminum/MS64
16. HK-437, Visit of Officials of our Allies/MS65
17. HK-491, New York Worlds Fair Dollar/MS64
18. HK-517, Minnesota Statehood Centennial in Gilt Bronze/MS64
19. HK-552, Silver Nevada Centennial/MS63
20. HK-601, Type 1, Albany BiCentennial/MS62
21. HK-601a, Type 1, Albany BiCentennial/MS66BN
22. HK-602, Type 2, Albany BiCentennial/MS63BN
23. HK-667, Catskill Aqueduct Completion in Bronze/MS62BN
24. HK-813, Elder "Gold Basis" Dollar in Silver/MS64
25. HK-833, Type 1 Bickford Dollar, unholed/MS66
26. HK-836, Bickford Dollar Type 3 w/Brass Center/MS65
27. HK-837, Bickford Dollar Type 3 w/Bronze Center/MS64
28. HK-860, Continental Currency-Confederation in White Metal/MS63
29. HK-866, Elder Confederation Dollar in White Metal/MS63
30. HK-866a, Confederation Dollar in Bronze/MS63
31. HK-877a, T. Elder-WWI Issue in Brass/MS64
32. HK-887, No Room Here for Hypens/MS64
33. HK-910, WWII Victory Medal in Brass/MS63

Additional medals:

1. Eglit-273, Christoforo Columbo, World's Columbian Expo, Genova, Italy - 50mm/SP65DCAM

HK-15, Pilgrim Jubilee Memorial in Brass/MS63

HK-17, Battle of Lexington/PR65

HK-22, U.S. Centennial/MS62

HK-27, US Centennial Expo-Liberty Bell in Copper/MS62

This is the discovery piece for the 5-pointed star variety of HK-27 as discussed in the article New Discovery: 1876 Independence Hall With Trees So-Called Dollar (HK-27) 5 and 6-pointed Star Varieties.

HK-120, Wyoming (PA) Battle Centennial in Bronze/MS65BN

HK-125, Battle of Groton Heights in White Metal/MS63

HK-125b, Battle of Groton Heights in Bronze/MS67BN

HK-220, Columbian Exposition Liberty Head/MS65BN

HK-220a, Columbian Exposition Low Relief Liberty Head/AU55

HK-222a, World's Columbian Expo in Aluminum/PR65DCAM

HK-291, Pan-American Exposition Buffalo Dollar/MS63

HK-299, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Souvenir Medal/MS63

HK-301, Louisiana Purchase Exposition Souvenir Medal/MS64BN

HK-327, Lewis & Clark Expoin Bronze/MS64BN

HK-333b, Lewis & Clark Centennial in Antiqued Silver/MS62

HK-392, Brian Boru Dollar in Aluminum/MS64

HK-437, Visit of Officials of our Allies/MS65

This piece is from the Ostheimer Collection, which was acquired as a complete collection by W. David Perkins. It was offered by Stack's Bowers at Baltimore in 2014 which notes the Ostheimer pedigree.

HK-490, Golden Gate Int'l Expo in Gilt Copper/MS62

HK-491, New York Worlds Fair Dollar/MS64

HK-517, Minnesota Statehood Centennial in Gilt Bronze/MS64

HK-552, Silver Nevada Centennial/MS63

HK-601, Type 1, Albany BiCentennial/MS62

HK-601a, Type 1, Albany BiCentennial/MS66BN

HK-602, Type 2, Albany BiCentennial/MS63BN

HK-667, Catskill Aqueduct Completion in Bronze/MS62BN

HK-813, Elder "Gold Basis" Dollar in Silver/MS64

HK-833, Type 1 Bickford Dollar, unholed/MS66

HK-836, Bickford Dollar Type 3 w/Brass Center/MS65

HK-837, Bickford Dollar Type 3 w/Bronze Center/MS64

HK-860, Continental Currency-Confederation in White Metal/MS63

HK-866, Elder Confederation Dollar in White Metal/MS63

HK-866a, Confederation Dollar in Bronze/MS63

HK-877a, T. Elder-WWI Issue in Brass/MS64

HK-887, No Room Here for Hypens/MS64

HK-910, WWII Victory Medal in Brass/MS63

Other Medals

keets is also an avid collector of eye-appealing medals, favoring the artistic quality their large size can capture.

The following are some of his medal collection outside So-Called Dollars.

Eglit-273, Christoforo Columbo, World's Columbian Expo, Genova, Italy - 50mm/SP65DCAM