1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Octagonal MS63 PCGS. CAC....

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1915-S Panama-Pacific Fifty, MS63
Historic Octagonal Variety
645 Examples Distributed

1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Octagonal MS63 PCGS. CAC. A celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal and the rebirth of the city of San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of 1906 called for something extravagant, something monumental. The 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition delivered on both counts. It spanned two and half miles and covered 600 acres at a cost of $15 million. According to the National Parks Service:

"The creation of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition required the construction of a grand and elegant city that was only to last eleven months. Almost all of the fair buildings were constructed in wood frame and covered in a material composed of gypsum (plaster of Paris) and hemp, was designed to look like Italian marble. As the Chief of Color, Jules Guerin designed a palette of soft and harmonious paint colors that would enhance the imitation travertine. In studios, commissioned artists and workers constructed over 1,500 individual sculptures with wood, wire, and faux marble material. The fair's ongoing vegetation and landscape needs were intensive. The landscape architects had to ship in over 30,000 full-grown trees and thousands of shrubbery to turn the acres of sand dunes and landfill into sophisticated, large-scale gardens."

Is it any surprise, then, that the United States Mint saw the Panama-Pacific International Exposition as an opportunity to produce the largest commemorative coinage in its history? These massive fifty dollar gold pieces weigh more than two and a half troy ounces and measure 46 millimeters in diameter, paralleling the size and scale of the PPIE itself. The coins carried an equally hefty price tag of double face value at the time of issue, limiting sales to just 645 Octagonal pieces. The remainder of the 1,500 coins struck were melted. Their size, weight, limited distribution, and the intricate design by Robert Aitken make the 1915-S Octagonal fifties among the most sought-after coins not just in the classic commemorative series, but in all of American numismatics.

This impressive Select example exhibits sharp definition on all design elements and the textured orange-gold surfaces are lightly marked for the grade. Both sides radiate vibrant mint luster and the outstanding eye appeal and technical quality is attested by the CAC sticker.
From The Dr. Jerry Collection. (Registry values: P7)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# BYLX, PCGS# 7452, Greysheet# 10216)

Weight: 83.59 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

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