1904 Bronze Medal H-30-50, Louisiana Purchase Expo Louisiana Purchase Expo

Coin Details

Auction Record

$690 SP63 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition is cataloged as H-30-50 in the standard Hendershott reference for medals of the St. Louis World's Fair. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, held in St. Louis from April 30 through December 1, 1904, was one of the largest world's fairs ever staged, covering 1,272 acres in Forest Park and attracting nearly twenty million visitors over its seven-month run. The fair celebrated the centennial of the Louisiana Purchase and showcased American industrial, agricultural, and cultural achievements to an international audience. Hendershott's catalog of Louisiana Purchase Exposition medals documents hundreds of distinct varieties produced by official and unofficial sources during and after the fair. The H-30-50 designation places this bronze piece within the exposition's official or semi-official medallic program, which encompassed award medals for exhibitors, commemorative pieces for visitors, and special issues for dignitaries and organizers. Bronze was the most common composition for exposition medals intended for general distribution, making these pieces accessible souvenirs that brought a tangible connection to the grandeur of the fair into ordinary households.

Rarity Notes

Collectible Louisiana Purchase Exposition medal. H-30-50 in Hendershott catalog. Bronze examples were produced in moderate quantities for fair visitors and exhibitors.

Cross References

PCGS #804837; Hendershott H-30-50