A genuine 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition medal struck to raise money for Montana's exhibit at the San Francisco world's fair. Cataloged as HK-409 in Hibler and Kappen's So-Called Dollars, it is one of the best known and most collected of the PPIE state fund pieces.

The obverse shows a winged Victory standing on the prow of a ship as it passes through the newly opened Panama Canal, with sunrays behind her and steamships and the San Francisco shoreline in the distance. PANAMA PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION, SAN FRANCISCO, 1915 surrounds the scene within a beaded border and laurel sprays.

The reverse carries Montana's state seal imagery: mountains and a rising sun above the Great Falls of the Missouri, with a plow, pick and shovel in the foreground and the motto OR Y PLATA. FOR MONTANA EXPOSITION FUND runs around the rim.

This example has warm, original brown toning that has never been cleaned, with even circulation wear and good detail in the Victory, the ship and the mountain landscape. There is a small rim bump at the bottom near the date and some light field marks. Please view all photos as they are part of the description.

Details:

• 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco

• Montana Exposition Fund, HK-409

• Bronze, approx. 38 mm (1 1/2 in)

• Raw, uncertified, circulated

• Original toning, never cleaned

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