South Carolina Inter-State & West Indian Exposition (1901-1902)

About This Coin

Charleston staged its South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition from December 2, 1901, to May 31, 1902, on about 250 acres that took in the old Washington Race Course. The city hoped the fair would win back trade for its port with the West Indies and with Central and South America. Bad weather through much of the season kept attendance down, and the pale buildings earned the grounds the name "Ivory City." Federal displays were brought on from the Pan-American Exposition at Buffalo, a Mint exhibit among them, and the Liberty Bell was shown. Hibler and Kappen could not establish which of the dollar-size medals was the official one, or which of them, if any, came from the Mint exhibit.