1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Round MS64 PCGS. CAC....

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1915-S Panama-Pacific Fifty, MS64
Important Round Format Survivor

1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Round MS64 PCGS. CAC. Ex: Simpson. The 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a celebration not just of San Francisco's rebirth after the calamitous 1906 earthquake and fire, but also, as its name suggests, of the completion of the Panama Canal. The canal would become a vital throughway for goods and people traveling from east to west, and vice versa. The enormous project employed thousands of workers and was undoubtedly one of, if not the greatest engineering marvels of the 20th century.

In Ancon, a major hub on the west coast of the Panama Canal Zone, the size of the community of laborers and ancillary service providers was such that the region published its own weekly newspaper, The Canal Record. The paper was "published free of charge, one copy each to all employes [sic] of the Commission and Panama Railroad Company whose names are on the gold roll." The March 4, 1914 issue makes specific mention of a meeting to be held that week regarding "the forming of the Panama auxiliary to the woman's [sic] board of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition ... " Among the Women's Board's assignments were the decoration of the main exposition hall, hosting fundraising events, and organizing the California Woman's Auxiliary and that of the Traveler's Aid Society of California.

The 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition showcased all that California and the city of San Francisco had to offer. It served as a point of pride for all those people, men and women, involved in the completion of the Panama Canal. Certainly, it gave those working in unimaginably difficult conditions something to look forward to and work toward. These popular commemorative fifty dollar gold pieces would have been out of reach for ordinary laborers, but today they serve as some of the most popular souvenirs of the 1915 PPIE, in part because they were sold in such limited quantities.

A Choice Mint State example struck in the Round format, this piece has a bold and beautiful appearance in brilliant yellow-gold, with impressive textured surfaces. Close inspection reveals the almost-microscopic abrasions that prevent a higher grade assignment. PCGS has certified a mere 41 submissions that numerically exceed this lovely piece (11/20).(Registry values: N10218)

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# BYLU, PCGS# 7451, Greysheet# 10215)

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper
Weight: 83.59 grams
AGW: 2.65oz
Mintage: 483

View all of [Important Selections from The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part III ]

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