Numismatic

1915-S Gold $1.00 Panama-Pacific MS-64 PCGS

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In 1915, the San Francisco Mint struck a distinctive gold dollar to mark two monumental achievements: the completion of the Panama Canal and the recovery of San Francisco following the devastating 1906 earthquake. This coin was distributed solely at the landmark Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Out of an initial mintage of 25,000 pieces, more than 10,000 were melted down the year after the exposition closed, making the surviving specimens highly prized by historical enthusiasts. The obverse of the coin, created by Charles Keck, depicts the profile of a canal laborer wearing a cap, a tribute to the workforce that completed the canal. On the reverse, two dolphins curve around the central denomination of "ONE DOLLAR." These aquatic creatures represent the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, which were newly united by the engineering marvel of the canal. The tiny "S" mint mark below the design identifies its origin at the San Francisco Mint.