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San Francisco's Worlds Fairs and Expositions

Category:  Token & Medals
Last Modified:  11/27/2012
Set Description
This is a collection of exonumia from the several events held at San Francisco over the first half of the 20th Century. This will concentrate on the well known 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, as well as the lesser know 1909 and 1913 Portola Festivals. It will also include some pieces from the 1894 Mid-Winter Exposition, and probably (later) the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition (aka the Treasure Island Fair). The basic problem however, is that a large minority of tokens and medals, as well as all of the badges, etc., from these events are either not cataloged, and therefore not certified by NGC or PCGS, or not suitable for encapsulation; as such, much of the collection cannot be listed here in the NGC Registry, but it is a start. I welcome communication from other interested parties on the subject.

Set Goals
Tokens and medals from the World's Fairs, Expositions and related events held at San Francisco, California, 1894 to 1940.

Slot Name
Origin/Country
Item Description
Full Grade
Owner Comments
Pics
View Coin HK389 United States SC$1 1909 CA HK-389 PORTOLA FESTIVAL NCS AU The first Portola Festival celebrated the survival of the City after the 1906 Earthquake and Fire. As it was only a five day event, these medals have always been scarce, and rare as a Gem. Normally always holed, as they were either mounted on a badge, or pierced for a watch fob strap - the very few found unholed I am convinced were leftovers or "seconds" left unsold. The finest unholded piece I know of was Bill Weber's, on which I was the unfortunate underbidder at the auction - only to be able to purchase it later. Included here as this has interesting toning unlike any I have seen on these, although NCS noted "Environmental Damage".
View Coin HK389B United States SC$1 1909 CA HK-389B PORTOLA FESTIVAL SILVER PLATED NGC MS 62 Silver-plated version of the 1909 Portola piece - assigned HK-389B by NGC. This was the first certified by NGC, and still the only Unc as of May, 2017. These are extremely scarce, as evidenced by the fact that Hibler and Kappen apparently never saw one to include it their book - nor is it in the second edition. I am of the opinion that the silvered versions were plated after being holed, so no unholed ones can exist (?). Weber's had the oblong watch fob hole, so obviously they come with both "options" as far as a hole. I also own one of these with an oval slot on the original pig skin watch fob strap.
View Coin HK397 United States SC$1 1913 CA HK-397 PORTOLA FESTIVAL NGC MS 61 The only listed piece from the second Portola Festival. This was a three-day only event held mainly as an advertisement for the upcoming 1915 Pan-Pac Expo, hence items from this version are even harder to locate. This HK has got to be one of the toughest to locate in any condition. Ex-Weber, only the second in Unc (or close) that I noted in a long time- I looked for 15 years, off and on. I do remember one that sold on eBay that I am still kicking myself for passing on ("What! Someone paid $700 for a So-Called Dollar! They must be crazy! - oh well, live and learn)

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