Killer Commemoratives Long Set
SPANISH TRAIL 1935

Owner Comments:

The Old Spanish Trail is coveted as one of the more scarce types of the early classic commemorative series set. With a small original mintage of only 10,008 pieces and a history rich in scandal and intrigue, it presents an interesting story. First the coin; it was designed by L.W. Hoffecker with the stated intended purpose of celebrating the 400th anniversary of America by the famed Spanish explorer Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca. Since "Cabeza de Vaca" translates into "head of cow" and no other likeness of the man was available, Hoffecker used a steer skull to represent Alvar. The intrigue came into play with Hoffecker's scandalous promotion as the sole distributor of the coins and telling collectors the issue was "sold out." He in fact had hyped the sales and held back a large quantity to make $$ off of collectors by selling the coins later at inflated prices. Certainly Hoffecker was not alone in this practice, as the collector was ripe for exploitation in the 1930's era and this scenario played itself out many times in the classic commem era.

This coin is an exceptional Spanish Trail with extremely clean surfaces and fields. The only mark on the coin is a tiny mark on the cow's head seen under a 5x loupe. The obverse features satiny luster enveloping light grayish colored fields and devices with a hint of gold toning along the rim edges. The reverse has wonderful color for this type with golden colored concentric rim toning and light green coloration seen from 4:00-6:00 with satiny luster and untoned natural surfaces. High end & superior eye appeal. CAC certified.

Population: PCGS 102 in 67, 1 67+, 2 in 68. NGC 103 in 67 (including 6*/2+),7 in 68 (includes 2*). CAC 26, 0 higher. (10-12)