(1901) Aluminum Encased Cent EC51, Pan-American Exposition Buffalo

Coin Details

Description

Aluminum encased cent souvenir issued at the Pan-American Exposition held in Buffalo, New York from May 1 to November 2, 1901. The horseshoe-shaped aluminum holder encases a bronze Lincoln Cent and bears advertising or commemorative text relating to the Exposition, which celebrated commercial and cultural ties among the nations of the Western Hemisphere and showcased America's industrial progress at the dawn of the twentieth century. Catalogued by Lavin as EC51 in his reference on American encased coins. Encased cents were a popular souvenir form at world's fairs, expositions, and carnivals of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, allowing visitors to preserve a United States coin within a novelty metal holder. The Pan-American Exposition is particularly remembered for the assassination of President William McKinley on September 6, 1901 at the Temple of Music on the fairgrounds, eight days before the Exposition closed.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Pan-American Exposition encased cents are collected as tangible relics of a significant early 20th-century world's fair. Lavin catalogues multiple types of Pan-American encased coins; the distinctive horseshoe format of EC51 is among the more recognizable designs from the Buffalo exposition. Survivors with clean aluminum housings and legible text are preferred by collectors.

Cross References

Lavin EC51