1915 2-oz Silver Octagonal Panama-Pacific Expo Tribute

When in San Francisco, Do as the Romans Do

In 1915, the completion of the Panama Canal was celebrated in San Francisco with a special Panama-Pacific Exposition. To commemorate the event, the San Francisco Mint struck a number of silver and gold coins, including a $50 octagonal gold piece depicting a bust of Minerva, Roman goddess of wisdom, art and commerce. The reverse depicts an owl perched on a Ponderosa Pine surrounded by pine cones, under the legend PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION.

As you might imagine, octagonal coins from the U.S. Mint aren’t often seen – in fact, the octagonal $50 piece is the only U.S. legal-tender coin that is not round, making it a highly sought-after collectible. Unfortunately, the San Francisco Mint struck just 1,500 of these classic commemoratives. And out of that small number, only 645 were sold with the balance melted by officials. Needless to say, the original coin is one of the rarest commemorative issues ever struck. That’s why we’re happy to bring you this beautiful silver piece that pays tribute to the original design. Struck in two Troy ounces of highly-pure 99.9% fine silver, it’s a numismatic keepsake that’s perfect for any collection of vintage American coins, as well as a beautiful piece in its own right.

The design of this two-ounce silver tribute expertly mimics that of the original right down to the Roman numerals MCMXV (1915) on Minerva’s shield. The only difference is that instead of a denomination of FIFTY DOLLARS on the reverse, it reads TWO TROY OUNCES. And at 39 mm in diameter, this exquisite silver tribute is only slightly smaller than the original gold piece that measured 44 mm in diameter.

This 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo Octagonal Two-Ounce Silver Tribute is sure to appeal to both modern and classic coin collectors, especially to those who always wanted to own one of the valuable original low mintage $50 gold coins. The iconic design and all the history it represents can now be yours!

• HONORING A HISTORIC EVENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY – In August of 1914, the Panama Canal was officially complete. To celebrate, the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915 was held in San Francisco – a city that had been devastated by an earthquake just nine years prior. To help raise funds, various denominations of coins were struck at the San Francisco Mint and sold at the expo – including the famous $50 octagonal gold coin!

• AN EPIC DESIGN – The designs for the original 1915-S Panama Pacific $50 Gold Commemorative was the work of American sculptor Robert Ingersoll Aitken. The design depicts the Roman Goddess Minerva wearing a crested helmet on the obverse while the coin’s reverse shows an owl perched on a Ponderosa Pine surrounded by cones. Within the octagonal border on both sides are a series of dolphins representing the uninterrupted water route made possible by the Panama Canal. A native of San Francisco, Aitken also designed the 1921 Missouri Centennial Half dollar and the 1935-1936 California Pacific International Exposition Half Dollar.

• STRUCK IN HIGHLY-PURE SILVER – Each Panama-Pacific Expo Octagonal Tribute was struck in two ounces of highly-pure 99.9% fine silver.

• BEAUTIFUL BRILLIANT UNCIRCULATED CONDITION – Your 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo Octagonal Two-Ounce Silver Tribute will come in gleaming Brilliant Uncirculated (BU) condition, as fresh and crisp as the day it left the mint.

Don’t miss your chance to secure the 1915 Panama-Pacific Expo Octagonal Two-Ounce Silver Tribute. Click one to your cart today!