PANAMA PACIFIC 1915-S $2.50 Gold Commemorative PCGS MS67 CAC

PANAMA PACIFIC 1915-S $2.50 Gold Commemorative PCGS MS67 CAC
PCGS # 7450
Grading Service PCGS
Grade MS67
Mint Location San Francisco
Year 1915
Designation
Strike Business
Grade Add On CAC
PANAMA PACIFIC 1915-S $2.50 Gold Commemorative PCGS MS67 CAC
1915-S $2.50 Panama-Pacific
SKU: 50237973
A superbly preserved example of the first U.S. commemorative quarter eagle, this 1915-S Panama-Pacific Gold $2.50 combines historic importance, advanced technical quality, and exceptional collector appeal.
Issued for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco, the obverse by Charles E. Barber presents Columbia riding a hippocampus through the sea, an imaginative classical motif emblematic of America’s maritime triumph and the opening of the Panama Canal. In her outstretched hand she bears a caduceus, symbolizing the medical victories that helped make canal construction possible. The legend PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION arcs above, with the date 1915 below. George T. Morgan’s reverse features a bold perched eagle set above the inscription E PLURIBUS UNUM and the denomination 2½ DOL., framed by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The type is among the most artistically distinctive issues of the classic commemorative gold series. ([pcgs.com](https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mycoinfacts/1915-s-2-50-panama-pacific/115008/0?utm_source=openai))
Certified PCGS MS67 and approved by CAC, this piece stands in the elite upper tier of surviving examples. The surfaces display rich golden color with bright satiny to softly frosted luster, and the strike is notably pleasing for the issue, with strong central detail and crisp peripheral lettering. As expected of the grade, the fields and devices are remarkably well preserved, with only the most inconsequential abrasions limiting an even finer designation. Eye appeal is a clear strength, enhanced by the refined texture and attractive original finish seen on premium Mint State representatives of this celebrated commemorative. ([pcgs.com](https://www.pcgs.com/resources/pdf/PCGSGradingStandards.pdf?utm_source=openai))
The 1915 Panama-Pacific commemoratives were produced to mark one of the grandest expositions of the early 20th century, held in San Francisco to celebrate completion of the Panama Canal. Five different commemorative coins were distributed at the fair, and the quarter eagle holds special status as the first commemorative issue struck in the $2.50 gold denomination. Within the classic U.S. commemorative series, it remains one of the most popular gold types, prized for its unusual iconography, compact gold format, and direct association with a landmark international exposition. ([pcgs.com](https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mycoinfacts/1915-s-2-50-panama-pacific/115008/0?utm_source=openai))
With original sales of just 6,749 pieces, this is a low-mintage issue by any standard, especially for a classic U.S. gold commemorative. Unsold pieces were destroyed, further reinforcing its desirability. In the present PCGS population data provided, only 79 examples are certified at MS67, with just 9 graded finer, underscoring the scarcity of this coin at such a lofty level of preservation. While obtainable in lower Mint State grades, truly superb examples are far more elusive and enjoy strong demand from commemorative specialists, gold type collectors, and Registry participants alike. ([pcgs.com](https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/mycoinfacts/1915-s-2-50-panama-pacific/115008/0?utm_source=openai))
Historic, low-mintage, and certified at a highly desirable collectible level, this CAC-approved 1915-S Panama-Pacific $2.50 is an outstanding representative of one of the most iconic issues in the classic commemorative gold series.