1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Round MS65 PCGS....

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1915-S Panama-Pacific Round Fifty, MS65
Only 483 Pieces Distributed
The Rarest Classic Commemorative Type

1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific 50 Dollar Round MS65 PCGS. "The coining of the first $50 gold piece ever authorized by the Government of the United States was made a notable occasion at the United States Mint at San Francisco. The superintendent of the Mint, Hon. T.W.H. Shanahan, extended invitations to representatives of the Government, State and city, officers of the Exposition, together with notable representatives of various foreign governments and members of the American Numismatic Association, in all to the number of about eighty, to witness the production of not only the first $50 piece, but the first coin of octagonal shape to be produced by Government authority." -- The Numismatist, August 1915.

The occasion of the first coinage of fifty dollar gold pieces for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition was a memorable one, both for numismatists, government officials, and, or course, Exposition officers with a financial interest in the sale of these historic and hefty coins. The account in The Numismatist, in declaring the Pan-Pac fifties the first of their denomination and shape issued by the U.S. government, omitted recognition of the U.S. Assay Office "slugs" of the Gold Rush period, after which the Pan-Pac fifties were fashioned in denomination, size, and shape. In truth, the Pan-Pac fifties were the first such coins issued by an established federal mint, but not by government authority.

The Numismatist account also focuses heavily on the production of the Octagonal Pan-Pac fifties, with no mention of the Round variant. Admittedly, the ceremonial coinage of the first coins consisted only of the Octagonal variant, but the numismatic media focus on the eight-sided issue left the Round Pan-Pac fifties produced later in the year largely overlooked. That neglect in numismatic press translated almost seamlessly into the sales figures for the two coins to collectors and the public: the Octagonal type absorbed nearly 60% of all single-coin purchases. Numismatic appreciation of the Round type only came later, after sales were completed and excess coins destroyed, and it was discovered that just 483 Round Pan-Pac fifties were ever distributed. Today, this is the rarer of the two variants, and the more valuable in high grade.

The present Gem example displays a bold strike and luminous, beautifully preserved luster. Pan-Pac fifties are seldom offered in this grade, and PCGS has seen only three higher-grade representatives of the Round coin. This piece will be the cornerstone of a high-end classic commemorative type set. Population: 40 in 65 (8 in 65+), 3 finer (8/21).(Registry values: N10218)

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

Weight: 83.59 grams

Metal: 90% Gold, 10% Copper

View Certification Details from PCGS