1904 Medal Commemorative Bronze Louisiana Purchase Expo

Coin Details

Description

This 1904 commemorative bronze medal from the Louisiana Purchase Exposition represents part of the extensive medallic program associated with the St. Louis World's Fair. The exposition produced one of the most diverse arrays of commemorative medals in American history, reflecting both the enormous scale of the event and the late Victorian enthusiasm for medallic art as a medium of commemoration. Bronze medals served multiple purposes at the fair — as awards for exhibitors who demonstrated excellence in their respective categories, as souvenirs sold to the visiting public, and as presentation pieces for officials and dignitaries. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition was notable in numismatic history not only for its medals but also for the gold commemorative dollars struck by the United States Mint specifically for the fair, featuring portraits of Thomas Jefferson and William McKinley. These were the first American commemorative gold coins and established a precedent that would shape commemorative coinage programs for decades. The bronze medals produced alongside these coins form a rich collecting field that documents both the fair's official program and the commercial enterprise of souvenir vendors who operated throughout the exposition grounds.

Rarity Notes

Bronze commemorative from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. Produced in moderate quantities. Condition and specific variety determine collector value.

Cross References

PCGS #910683