1915 Medal Pan-Pac Expo 45mm CA Souvenir

Coin Details

Description

The 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition medal at 45mm is a California souvenir commemorating the world's fair held in San Francisco. At 45mm, this is a larger-format piece than the standard 38mm souvenir pennies, offering more surface area for detailed artistic renderings of the exposition's celebrated architecture and symbolic imagery. The increased diameter indicates this was a premium souvenir, sold at a higher price point than the smaller pieces available throughout the fairgrounds. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition occupied a carefully landscaped site along San Francisco Bay, with exhibition palaces arranged around courtyards in a Beaux-Arts plan. The exposition's official medal program included works by some of the finest sculptors and engravers of the era, and the privately produced souvenir medals often drew upon the same artistic themes — classical female figures representing California, Commerce, and Progress, alongside depictions of the Panama Canal and the exposition buildings. The 45mm size places this medal in the category of what collectors sometimes call "cabinet pieces" — medals large enough to display effectively but not so massive as to be unwieldy. This format was popular for high-quality exposition souvenirs intended to serve as lasting mementos of the fair experience, in contrast to the smaller tokens and pennies that served as casual keepsakes. The specific composition is not noted in the catalog entry, indicating it may vary across examples.

Rarity Notes

The 45mm California souvenir format is less common than the standard 38mm penny pieces from the Panama-Pacific Exposition. Premium-size souvenirs were produced in smaller quantities than the more affordable standard pieces.

Cross References

PCGS #850570; Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco 1915