Lot 4906
1915-S Panama-Pacific Gold $50 Round. PCGS graded MS-62 PQ. Lovely golden toning on both sides. Only 483 pieces struck. The surfaces glisten with smooth golden color that will make your head spin by its satiny originality and spot-free completeness. In light of the agreeable mint bloom, collectors will also notice that this Panama-Pacific fifty is strongly struck with exactitude on the helmet imprint as well as the stylized plume above. Continuing the force of sharp design, the owl bares its breast with a full complement of feathers, while the pine cones also suggest a full blow by the striking dies.
In 1915 visitors from around the world discovered a veritable new city that had been built of lath and plaster on the San Francisco waterfront. Building upon the tradition established by the 1876 Centennial Exhibition (Philadelphia), 1892-1893 World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago), the 1900 Paris Exposition, the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and other great events, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition showcased marvels of technology, art, history, and science.
The United States Mint had its exhibit at the fair. It sold five different coins whose Panama-Pacific themes stand as the high-water mark of American Commemoratives. The $50 round coin, in particular, is legendary in U.S. federal coinage, both for its size ($50 or two and one-half ounces of .900 Fine gold) and its bold dimensions. The artistry was by Robert Aitken, noted sculptor and coin designer whose handiwork presents Minerva, goddess of the harvest, wearing a Corinthian plumed helmet. Aitken depicted a more homespun emblem for his reverse, a wise owl perched upon a pine branch (PCGS # 7451) .
Estimated Value $63,000 - 65,000.
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