I've never seen a silver Pan Pac quarter before...

kiyote · February 1, 2007 5:31PM

Does anyone know anything about it?

And, may I add, DROOL.

basestealer · February 1, 2007 6:11PM

That's a Panama Pacific Exposition Commemorative quarter. They also issued half dollars (more common, I believe) and gold pieces.

The Panama Pacific International Exposition was the 1915 worlds fair held in San Francisco, California. Taking over three years to construct, the fair had great economic implications for the city that had been almost destroyed by the great earthquake and fire of 1906. The exposition was a tremendous success, and did much to boost the morale of the entire Bay Area and to help get San Francisco back up on its feet.

Officially, the exposition was a celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal, and also commemorated the 400th anniversary of the discovering of the Pacific Ocean by the explorer, Balboa. San Francisco was only one of many cities hoping to host the PPIE. New Orleans was its primary rival, but in 1911 after a long competition of advertising and campaigning, President Taft proclaimed San Francisco to be the official host city.

There was some initial uncertainty about where exactly to hold the fair (Golden Gate Park had been the main contender), but it was later decided to fill in the mud flats at the northern end of the city, and to build in the location currently known as the Marina. The 635 acre fair was located between Van Ness and the Presidio – its southern border was Chestnut Street and its northern edge bordered the Bay.

The tallest most well-recognized building of the PPIE was the Tower of Jewels. Standing 43 stories tall, the building was covered by more than a hundred thousand colored glass "jewels" that dangled individually to shimmer and reflect light as the Pacific breezes moved them. There were many other palaces, courts, state and foreign buildings to see at the fair – however most of them were made of a temporary plaster-like material, designed to only last for the duration of the fair. Luckily, one of the primary exposition buildings, the Palace of Fine Arts, was not torn down with the rest of the buildings, and was completely reconstructed in the 1960's.

The fair ran from February 20th until December 4th, 1915 -- and was widely considered to be a great success.

Read more at wikipedia
Pan Pac Wiki

basestealer · February 1, 2007 6:20PM

By the way, I've never heard of a pan pac quarter either. I assume they released them since you have one. But, everything I've read about these commems never mentions them. The PCGS holder says "private issue"... and the design does not match that of the other Pan Pac commemoratives. I wonder who issued it?

Dennis88 · February 1, 2007 6:33PM

This piece is more comparable with a medal then with a coin. It was designed by Earl Fraser. Interesting that you actually posted pictures of 2 different pieces, both struck in white metal and both unique. These pieces has been traditionally listed in both Judd and Pollock references because the denomination, quarter dollar is listed on the reverse coin. I think it's highly unlikely that there was a quarter dollar commemorative considered for coinage and that this was more of a private art project by Fraser. They sold together as one lot in the Heritage 2003 November Signature Sale for $ 28,750 and were both graded by PCGS as MS64. The reverse on both pieces is blank.

2003 Heritage auction

P5180 uspatterns.com information

P5185 uspatterns.com information

One of the interesting facts about these pieces is that they can be traced back to the original designer, Earl Fraser. In the auction description you can read the complete list of owners since 1915.

Dennis

seemyauction · February 1, 2007 8:21PM

Here is the Pan Pac 1 dollar gold

AL

kiyote · February 2, 2007 1:11AM

Thanks Dennis!

I know all about the fair of 1915 and the official expo coins, (I even have a couple of medals from it) but I've never been able to find any information about the so-called quarter. That auction price sure is steep, and no, I don't own one, I just posted a picture.

shirohniichan · February 2, 2007 3:25AM

This is the first time I've ever even heard of the pattern, and I LOVE the Pan Pac issues. Thanks for the post.

RWB · February 2, 2007 5:42AM

The Fraser electrotype concepts are not coins, and are not strictly pattern or experimental pieces for any planned coin design. The PPIE legislation by Rep Kahn did not mention a quarter. Fraser was consulted about possible coin designers for the PPI commems by Director Roberts, but he declined to participate as a coin designer, as did Adolph Weinman. Fraser made several plaster and wax models and had them reduced to approximately coin-sized electrotypes. This was the same process he used in 1911-13 to get his Buffalo nickel adopted, but in that instance he had a real coinage design commission.

The obverse would fit in well with some of the early Soviet Union coin, although that is more a stylistic trait than political one.

coinnut86 · February 2, 2007 5:55AM

Let's see a half picture

I've never seen a silver Pan Pac quarter before...

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