Jester's Challenge #215

1jester

Welcome to Jester's Challenge, an interactive history lesson.

Inspired by many others here on the Darkside forum, I'd like to present what I hope will turn into a great learning experience for all of us. Many members on this World and Ancient Coin Forum have done a formidable job of sharing with us many fascinating and historically important coins. Since looking at coins is also one of my greatest pleasures, I'd like to try to follow in that time-honored tradition and submit for your pleasure and entertainment some world coins I've come across in my short lifetime.

I will pick out a coin on a regular basis, and post it along with the challenge to you to name the coin, its provenance, denomination, metallic content, mintage, any distinguishing characteristics or noteworthy features, and its value. The more information, the better. I'd like as many people as possible to participate, regardless of how little knowledge you might have on the subject. I appreciate comments on every aspect of the coin, including its history, or its role in human history, or info on similar coins in its series, etc. I myself don't presume to know 1/1000 of what you collectively know, hence my challenge to all of you to share your knowledge with the rest of us. Hopefully this exercise will encourage thought, discussion, and most importantly, more friendship.

Thanks for your participation!!!

Here is the two hundred fifteenth selection:

laurentyvan

Beautiful coin! I don't know it but am willing to learn. Which scan has the accurate color?

JohnZ

That's a beauty, Jester. I don't know much about the Pan-Pac medals or tokens, so I'll leave this one for the experts.

I did, however, once hold in my hand an original Pan-Pac gold commem set. The dealer got annoyed with me for drooling on it.

1jester

The color is more accurately represented by the digital photo on the right, but I'd say that in real life it's not quite as bright as that.

Here are some related items:

Official Pan-Pac medal

1915-S Pan-Pac gold dollar

I won't tell you what this one is just yet; others should have a chance and I know there are some experts out there, such as Steve27, Conder101, Cladking, Farthing and Elverno, among others, who should be able to ID it.

Shipcoin

Wow! If I'm not mistaken, we saw here , a few weeks ago some medal devoted to Panama channel? Great pieces--and... it has a boat and a ship(?) at "backyard"..

Steve27

Most are familiar with the two $50 gold , the $2.5 gold , the $1 gold, and the silver 50C commemoratives for the 1915 Pan-Pac Exposition, but there were also a bunch of medals issued as well. Due to their size, consistent with a Morgan Dollar, they along with others are referred to as "so called dollars." Additionally, according to Breen, Liberty is shown on the 50C, while the Red Book says it's Columbia. Well, Breen was wrong, the original paperwork provided with the 50C coins specifically indicates that the figure is Columbia.

The medals include:

HK 399. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Pan-American Expo, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition San Francisco California MCMXV/(image of two allegorical woman around a globe with cornucopias)//To Commemorate The Opening Of The Panama Canal MCMXV/(image of allegorical man)/On! Sail On!. Rd, silver, 38mm.

HK 400. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Pan-Pacific Expo, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition San Francisco California MCMXV/ (image of two allegorical woman around a globe with cornucopias)// To Commemorate The Opening of the Panama Canal MCMXV/ (image of allegorical male)/ On! Sail On!. Rd, bronze, 38mm.

HK 402. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Alabama Souvenir of Panama-Pacific Expo, 1915. Alabama/At/Panama/Pacific/International/Exposition/San Francisco/1915/(wreath around rim)//Alabama/(Alabama State Seal)/Great Seal. Rd, brass, 38mm.

HK 403. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Arkansas Exposition Fund, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition/ Seal of the State of Arkansas/ (Arkansas State Seal)/ San Francisco, 1915// Arkansas Exposition Fund/ (image of building)/ Arkansas Building/ Arkansas/ Supplies the World/ With Aluminum/ The Land of Plenty. Rd, alum, 38mm.

HK 404. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Florida Expo Fund, 1915. Panama-Pacific International Exposition/San Francisco/1915/(image of famous statue)//For Florida Exposition Fund/(Florida State Seal)/In God We Trust. Rd, silver plate, 38mm. Silver plated bronze.

HK 406. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Louisiana Exposition Fund, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition/(image of building)/Louisiana Building/San Francisco 1915//For Louisiana Exposition Fund/(image of building)/Union Justice Confidence. Rd, bronze, 39mm.

HK 406. San Francisco. Louisiana Exposition Fund, 1915. Lot of 2 pieces. Panama-Pacific International Exposition/ (pic-Louisiana Building)/ San Francisco 1915// For Louisiana Exposition Fund/ (pic-building)/ (pic-swan feeding babies)/ Union Justice Confidence. 38mm, Xf, heavily toned. Instituto De Las Espanas/ (pic-antient figure)// Sangre De Hispania Fecunda/ (pic- Columbus holding Ship, with globe in background). Ismael Smith (artist), Medalic Art Co., N.Y. (along edge). 50 mm. (Not a "so called dollar.")

HK 409. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Montana Pan-American Expo Fund, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition/(image of a cherub floating out of a boat)/San Francisco/1915//Montana Exposition/(Montana State Seal). Rd, brass, 38mm.

HK 411. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Oregon Commemorative Panama Pacific Expo, 1915. Panama Pacific International Exposition/ (image of building)/ Oregon/ State Building/ San Francisco, 1915// State Of Oregon/ (Oregon State Seal)/ 1859. Rd, brass, 38mm.

HK 415A. California. San Francisco. San Francisco. Panama Canal Completion Expo, 1915. Panama Canal Completion Exposition/1915/(image of a ship in the canal)/San Francisco//California The Exposition State/Tower of Jewels/(image of tower building)/San Francisco 1915. Rd, brass, 34mm.

1jester

Thanks for the info, Steve.

This medal is, according to your list of So-Called Dollars, number HK-409. In my prior post, I've linked to another medal, HK-400.

Askari

I have the pleasure to own HK-398 (Opening of the Panama Canal), 400 and 401 (Ag version of 400). Beautiful medals!!