Joseph Lesher's one-dollar silver pieces combined monetary advocacy with merchant-specific inscriptions and local redemption arrangements.

The 1900–1901 catalog contains 22 rows classified by HK and merchant varieties; they are private referendum pieces, not federal silver dollars.

Core specifications

Issue period
1900–1901
Catalog mints
Not stated
Reported catalog mintage
Not reported
Composition
Not stated
Diameter
Not stated
Weight
Not stated

A private argument for silver money

Lesher issued the pieces amid continuing debate over silver's monetary role after the free-silver campaigns.

Named merchants and serial or imprint differences make the catalog locally specific.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Portraits, shields, or mining-related imagery appear with LESHER or referendum inscriptions.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

Merchant names, locations, value statements, and redemption text identify major varieties.

Representative issues that explain the series

Record HK attribution, merchant, inscription, edge, and provenance before comparing scarcity.

Issue catalog

1900 SC$ HK-787 Zerbe Type 11900 SC$ HK-788, Lesher, AB Bumstead1900 Lesher $ HK-789, A.B. Bumstead T-21900 Lesher $ HK-790 Bank Type1900 Lesher $ HK-1016 Trade Mark Applied1900 Lesher $ Life Saving Medal1901 Lesher$ HK-791, Imprint Type1901 Lesher$ Geo. Mullen HK-7951901 Lesher$ HK-796 Boyd Park1901 Lesher $ HK-1021a AW Clark1901 Lesher $ HK-791a Imprint Type No Name, No #1901 SC$ Lesher, HK-792 J.M. Slusher1901 Lesher $ HK-793 Sam Cohen1901 Lesher $ HK-794 DW Klein1901 Lesher $ HK-795a G Mullen without #1901 Lesher$ HK-796a Boyd Park without #1901 Lesher $ HK-797 W.C. Alexander1901 Lesher $ HK-1017 Goodspeeds & Co.1901 Lesher$ HK-1018 JE Nelson & Co.1901 Lesher $ HK-1019 WF White Merc.1901 Lesher $ HK-1020 H Stein1901 Lesher $ HK-1021 HH Rosser

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 22 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Lesher Referendum Dollar — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  2. Three Gold Rarities That Escaped the Melting Pot — Smithsonian National Museum of American History
  3. Lesher (Colorado) Dollars category reference — PCGS CoinFacts