1915 Gilt Brass So-Called Dollar HK-428, Pan-Pac Expo-Official Dollar

Coin Details

Auction Record

$288 MS64 02-03-2009 Goldberg Auctioneers

Description

The 1915 Pan-Pac Expo-Official so-called dollar (HK-428) is a commemorative piece from the Panama-Pacific Exposition series. The Panama-Pacific Exposition generated the famous $50 Panama-Pacific commemorative gold piece — the highest-denomination commemorative coin ever issued by the United States — alongside gold dollars, quarter eagles, and half dollars. Gilt so-called dollars served as affordable alternatives to solid gold issues while offering a premium appearance. The gilding process involved applying a thin gold layer through fire gilding, electroplating, or chemical deposition. Official exposition medals were struck by the U.S. Mint, and the landmark Panama-Pacific commemorative coin set (including the famous $50 gold pieces) made this the most numismatically significant American exposition. Barber's clean, classical engraving style defined the look of official American exposition medals for over three decades of world's fairs. Harold Hibler and Charles Kappen spent decades cataloging American dollar-sized medals, creating a reference work that transformed a scattered collecting field into an organized numismatic specialty.

Rarity Notes

Examples of HK-428 are scarce among so-called dollar collectors. Early 20th century commemorative medals survive in varying numbers depending on original mintage and subsequent preservation.

Cross References

HK-428; PCGS #643935; NGC #850708