1894 HK-258, California Midwinter Expo Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

HK-258 is a 45 mm aluminum medal from the California Midwinter International Exposition, held in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park from February 28 to July 9, 1894. The obverse frames the fair's Administration Building, and the reverse sells aluminum with a block of adjectives and the claim "This is the Lightest Metal the World Has Produced," repeating the gold-against-aluminum weight comparison seen on Chicago souvenirs of the Columbian Exposition. The reverse carries the tiny signature "Noble Chicago." Hibler and Kappen say many of the fair's aluminum medals were struck in the Mechanics Building on the grounds, and that no dollar-size medal was issued as an official exposition piece. M. H. de Young of the San Francisco Chronicle conceived the fair while attending the Chicago exposition. This piece is aluminum.

Cross References

HK-258; PCGS #642613; NGC #850466