Lot 2070
1915-S Panama-Pacific Dollar. NGC graded MS-64. Likely an early strike from new dies, just estimating from the details and wonderful color. The surfaces are vivid gold in hue and drenched in mint frost.
The 1915-S Panama-Pacific Exposition was held at a time in our nation's history when the art world was throwing off the constraints of its old-fashioned, Victorian-girdled ways. All manner of modernist techniques were tried on coinage, such as matte-finish Proofs, rims lacking denticles, spruced-up lettering, textured or roughed-up backgrounds. Coins struck for the exposition, like the Gold Dollar, capture the essence of this revolution. Instead of perfectly balanced devices, Charles Keck, the coin's creator, positioned his Panama Canal workman off to one side. Opposite the portrait, Keck made two concentric arcs for the country's name. The reverse continues the trend and is a far cry from anything attempted before in American numismatics. A pair of sprightly dolphins frolic above and below the central denomination giving a happy feel to the artist's trim design (PCGS # 7449) .
Estimated Value $600 - 625.
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| Realized $676 |
