So-Called Dollars

California Midwinter Exposition - 1894 - San Francisco, CA

Purpose: To bring to California, exposition of "worldwide interest and significance" ; to divert public mind from Panic of 1893; to bring homeseekers to state, showing them "resources and versatility of its inhabitants."

Organization: Idea conceived by M. H. De Young, owner of San Francisco Chronicle and vice president of Columbian Exposition, while attending latter Fair; campaigned vigorously for it in his newspaper. Executive Committee created to stage event; financed by public subscriptions and contracts to concessionaires. By opening day, $730,000 had been spent "without the gift of a single dollar from the nation, state or municipality." Ground broken Aug. 24, 1893; more than 100 buildings completed 6 months later.

Site, Dates, Attendance: Center of Golden Gate Park; 200 acres cleared for purpose. Held Feb. 28-July 9, 1894; attendance over 2,255,000. Palace of Fine Arts and Japanese Tea Garden were only permanent buildings but former replaced 1917 by De Young Museum; Tea Garden remains.

Participants: Many states, territories and foreign countries brought their exhibits from Columbian Exposition; only few erected own buildings but many California counties did. There was early complaint that Federal government actually hindered transfer of foreign displays from Chicago; several Federal departments represented but no Mint Exhibit.

Comment: Variety of architectural approaches—Old Mission, modified Corinthian, Egyptian, Moorish and East Indian, among others—earned name "Sunset City"; opened in winter to "accentuate the climatic possibilities of California...at the time of the severest low temperature in the eastern country." Exposition emphasized agricultural, horticultural and mineral exhibits; many new varieties fruits and grains displayed for first time. Original subscriptions apparently were in form of donations, requiring no reimbursement, so net proceeds of Fair used to buy foreign art exhibits as nucleus for city museum.

Medals: First two medals below long considered as "official" but actually there was no dollar-size piece so labeled by exposition; many aluminum medals listed were struck in Mechanics Building on grounds.

TYPE I

Obverse: Within plain circle at border, modification of California State Seal.
Reverse: In 5 lines, across in center Souvenir / California / Midwinter / Exposition / San Francisco; below * 1894 *; around The Land of Sunshine Fruit and Flowers - all within plain border circle.

HK-245 - Brass. Size 21.

Image provided by John Dean

TYPE II

Obverse: Modified State Seal differs from last: sun rays, which reach from behind mountains in background, end short of stars at border; three vessels and miner with pick much smaller than on last; bear is lying down; near bottom edge Moise S. F.; no border circle.
Reverse: Similar to reverse of last, but date and Souvenir / California Midwinter / Exposition much larger; no border circle.

HK-245a - Brass. Size 21.

Image provided by John Dean

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING— ELECTRIC TOWER DOLLAR

Obverse: Within sunken center, edifice; above, around Administration Building; on edifice base, r., A. Hylen. Chi.; below edifice, microscopic Blumenfeld S. F. C. and bear, walking r.; outside, around California Midwinter International Exposition * 1894 *
Reverse: Electric tower; within scroll, to l. in field, 18 and within scroll to r., 94; below tower is bear, walking r.; outside, around Souvenir of San Francisco

HK-246 - Aluminum. Size 25.

Image provided by John Dean

ADMINISTRATION BUILDING— FERRIS WHEEL DOLLAR

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 246.
Reverse: In center circle is Ferris Wheel with Firth Wheel above; outside, around Souvenir of San Francisco. California * 1894 *; (Firth, not Ferris, is lettering on medal).

HK-247 - Aluminum. Size 25.

DEYOUNG DOLLAR

Obverse: Bust of M. H. DeYoung, president and director-general of Exposition; around California Midwinter International Exposition * 1894 *
Reverse: Modification of State Seal; around Souvenir of San Francisco California * 1894 *

HK-248 - White Metal. Size 25.

ELECTRIC TOWER—STATE SEAL DOLLAR

Obverse: View of Exposition buildings, Bonet Electric Tower in foreground—all within beaded circle; outside, above California Midwinter International Exposition; below * San Francisco 1894 *; beaded border.
Reverse: Modification of State Seal, stars and Eureka missing, sun and rays in r. and edifice in l. background ; below bear Hanson Chi. — all within wreath-like circle; beaded border.

HK-249 - Aluminum. Size 24.

EXPOSITION VIEW—GOLDEN GATE DOLLAR

Obverse: Within circle, view of Exposition, tower in distance; around California Midwinter International Exposition * San Francisco 1894 *; plain circle border.
Reverse: Within circle border, view of Golden Gate; above, around Golden Gate; below, around San Francisco, Cal.

HK-250 - Aluminum. Size 24.

Image provided by John Dean

MECHANICS ART BUILDING DOLLARS

Obverse: Electric Tower, to l. Electric, to r. Tower — all within circle, open at top; outside, around California Midwinter International Exposition; below 1894; beaded border.
Reverse: Edifice, below Mechanics Art / Building — within circle; outside, above * Souvenir *; below, around Of the Sun-Set City; beaded border.

HK-251 - Aluminum. Size 24.

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 251.
Reverse: Within open wreath, tied at bottom with ribbon Aluminum / Souvenir / Stamped / in / Mechanics Bld. / San Francisco, Cal.; beaded border.

HK-252 - Aluminum. Size 24.

Image provided by John Dean

Obverse: Same as reverse of No. 251.
Reverse: Same as reverse of No. 252.

HK-253 - Aluminum. Size 24.

Image provided by John Dean

MISCELLANEOUS LARGE, SIZE 28, DOLLARS

Obverse: View of Exposition, setting sun above; below, to l., microscopic Schwaab S & S Co., to r. microscopic Milwaukee; below 1894 / San Francisco, Cal.; above all Midwinter Exposition; beaded border.
Reverse: Five edifices within beaded circles as on reverse of No. 260, but with caduceus, artist’s palette and brushes over scroll, mechanic’s tools and bouquet of fruits, vegetables and flowers added between outer circles; microscopic S. S. & S. Co. Milwaukee at bottom border; beaded border.

HK-254 - Aluminum. Size 28.

Image provided by John Dean

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 254.
Reverse: Facts about San Francisco in 22 lines across—all within circle; outside above, around Souvenir of San Francisco; below, around Metropolis of the Western Coast; beaded border.

HK-255 - Aluminum. Size 28.

Obverse: Modification of State Seal within irregularly shaped border of scrolls; below, a single star; outside, around California Midwinter International Exposition; beaded border.
Reverse: Same as reverse of No. 254.

HK-256 - Aluminum. Size 28.

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 256.
Reverse: Same as reverse of No. 255.

HK-257 - Aluminum. Size 28.

NEW METAL, ALUMINUM, DOLLARS

Obverse: Edifice, above Administration Building — within circle; outside border legend, around California Midwinter International Exposition *1894 *
Reverse: Across center Aluminum; above, in 6 slanting lines, Malleable / Ductile / Tasteless / Sonorous / Untarnishable / Strong; below Cubic Foot of Gold 1204 lbs. / " Aluminum 179 " / This is the Lightest / Metal the World / Has Produced.; below, microscopic Noble Chicago.

HK-258 - Aluminum. Size 28.

Obverse: Bear, on crag upper l., overlooks Exposition; above Midwinter / Fair; below, on ribbon, 1894.

HK-259 - Aluminum. Size 28.

STATE SEAL—FIVE EDIFICES DOLLAR

Obverse: Modification of State Seal, within circle; outside, around California Midwinter International Exposition; below 1894.
Reverse: Five edifices in beaded circles; in overlapping center circle, Administration Building; above, Palace of Horticulture and Agriculture; to r., Palace of Manufactures and Liberal Arts; below, Palace of Fine Arts; to l., Palace of Mechanics Art.

HK-260 - Aluminum. Size 22.

STATE SEAL—EXPOSITION VIEW DOLLAR

Obverse: Within border of roses between circles, modification of State Seal; below, 1894; around * Souvenir * San Francisco California, U. S. A.
Reverse: View of Exposition, tower in foreground; above around California *; below around Midwinter International Exposition

HK-261 - Aluminum. Size 26.

Image provided by John Dean

LAUER’S EXHIBITION PALACE DOLLARS

Obverse: Modification of State Seal; beaded border.
Reverse: Exposition view across center; above California / San Francisco; below Midwinter / International / Exposition, 1894; at lower l. of scene, near edge, Lauer; beaded border.

HK-262 - Aluminum. Size 23.

Image provided by John Dean

Obverse: Same as above obverse.
Reverse: Edifice; legend above California Midwinter Internat. Expos. / San Francisco 1894; below edifice Fine Arts / Building; Lauer at lower l. of edifice, near edge; beaded border.

HK-263 - Aluminum. Size 23.

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 262
Reverse: Edifice; above California Midwinter Internat. Expos. / San Francisco 1894; below edifice Mechanics / Building; at lower l. of edifice, near edge Lauer; beaded border.

HK-264 - Aluminum, Size 23.

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 262
Reverse: Edifice; legend above California Midwinter lnternat. Expos. / San Francisco 1894; below edifice Agriculture / Building; at lower l. of edifice, near edge Lauer; beaded border.

HK-265 - Aluminum. Size 23.

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 262
Reverse: Edifice; legend above California Midwinter Internat. Exposition / San Francisco 1894; below Manufactures Building; at lower l. of edifice, near edge Lauer; beaded border.

HK-266 - Aluminum. Size 23.

Image provided by John Dean

Obverse: Same as obverse of No. 262
Reverse: Edifice; legend above California Midwinter Internat. Exposition / S. Francisco 1894; below edifice Administration / Building; beaded border.

HK-267 - Aluminum. Size 23.

Image provided by John Dean