Numismatic

1903 Gold $1.00 Louisiana Purchase McKinley AU Details

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In 1903, a special gold dollar was minted to commemorate the Louisiana Purchase, featuring the left-facing likeness of President William McKinley on its obverse. This small gold piece, designed by Charles Barber, contains 0.0483 ounces of gold and carries a purity of 0.900. On the reverse side, the coin displays an olive branch alongside the dual dates of 1803 to 1903, marking a century since the historic territorial acquisition. While 17,500 of these commemorative dollars were initially struck, their journey through history took an unusual path. Originally offered to the public for three dollars, many of these coins did not find buyers and were subsequently sent back to the mint to be melted down. Those that did circulate were often mounted in creative novelty items of the era, including stick pins, decorative spoons, and simple cardboard boxes. This particular specimen is in average circulated condition, showing visible signs of cleaning or surface wear from its long journey. It offers a tangible connection to early twentieth-century American commemorative design and the St. Louis exposition era.