Owner Comments:
Medal, 1896, AR, BRYAN DOLLAR - SPAULDING & CO., Schornstein-17, HK-786, So Called Dollar, Uniface. NGC AU58, Cert# 3382773-007. (This is the second example of this HK-786 in this collection). Obv. In nine lines, first curved, others straight, A Government Dollar Contains / 412 1/2 Grains / Coin Silver 900/1000 Fine / This Piece Contains / 823 Grains Coin Silver / In Value the Equivalent of / One Gold Dollar / Sept. 16th 1896. / Spaulding & Co. No rim. Rv. Blank. 52mm. Schornstein 17. These medals were made by Eastern silversmiths during Presidential campaigns of 1896 and 1900. They were more dignified in tone than many contemporary pieces issued for the same purpose, as latter usually were struck in base metal and were most satirical of Bryan and his cause. These silver medals showed comparative size and ratio of a dollar struck at the then-current price of silver with what it would be like if free coinage were to rule. They are much more than mere political pieces as they bore direct reference to the silver controversy and, hence, to our national coinage. See more info on Gold/Silver Money Controversy during this time period for interesting history. Bryan ran for President 3 times, fighting for the silver interests.The US mint stopped coining silver dollars in 1873, much to the dismay of silver mine owners. Various efforts were made to restore silver as a standard without great success. In 1896 and 1900, William Jennings Bryan (a democrat) ran against William McKinley on the issue of bimetallism (to restore silver) and lost. Bimetallism was behind the Lesher dollars, Pedley-Ryan dollars, and various western state silver SCDs in the 1930s.
Bryan dollars (HK-777 to HK-786, HK-1010 to HK-1015) were struck to show the increased size that a silver dollar would need to be if Bryan won the presidency and instituted his platform. In essence, they were pieces made to convince people NOT to vote for Bryan. Bryan dollars are popular as of late to collectors. They appear to have been made/released by companies like Tiffany & Co, Gorham Mfg. Co Silversmiths, E Jaccard & Co, Spaulding & Co.