Owner Comments:
Medal, 1914, BR, PANAMA CANAL COMPLETION MEDAL, New York/San Francisco, So Called Dollar HHK-398 Brass, NGC MS64, Cert# 1653242-003. With Original Cardboard Circular Box of Issue, Very Scarce. INCORRECTLY LABELED AS “HK396” on the insert. As per Hibler & Kappen, 50000 were struck and carried through the Panama Canal on the steamship “Cristobal”. Supposedly all 50,000 examples were serial numbered, although unnumbered examples are known, as are unnumbered “Specimens” so designated. The small pasteboard box of issue reads “J. F. Newman/New York/Chicago – San Francisco”. The Newman firm is, or was, a jeweler listed in New York at least until the 1920’s, and is listed in HK as the “maker” of the medallion. More likely is that it was actually struck by Medallic Arts or a similar private minting firm on contract to Newman, as Newman likely did not have the facilities to actually strike these medals. This example is serial number 358, the lowest that I have seen personally. The design is a wonderful Beau Arts design, which bears some resemblance to several of the designs used for other So Called Dollars struck for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. This item has a historical significance, and with the original packaging, it is a rarity. Ex Alex Pancheco Collection, Earlier Ex Heritage Medal and Token Auction, Long Beach, CA 2/14/2008, Lot 81150.