How to Identify the Panama-Pacific Quarter Eagle Commemorative

What It Is

The Panama-Pacific Quarter Eagle Commemorative is a 1915-dated $2.50 gold coin struck alongside the larger $50 pieces for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, with design work credited to Charles Barber and George T. Morgan.

Obverse Design

Columbia, personifying the United States, rides side-saddle on a hippocampus, a mythical sea-horse, holding a caduceus and a cornucopia to symbolize the commerce and prosperity expected to flow through the new Panama Canal. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA appears around the border.

Reverse Design

An eagle with wings raised stands atop a Union shield accompanied by an olive branch, with PANAMA-PACIFIC EXPOSITION SAN FRANCISCO, the denomination 2 1/2 DOL., and the date 1915 around the border.

Size, Weight, Metal & Edge

Standard quarter eagle specifications apply: 18mm diameter, 4.18 grams, .900 fine gold, reeded edge.

Mint Marks

An S mintmark for San Francisco, the only mint that struck this commemorative issue.

Telling It Apart From Similar Coins

Distinguish it from a regular-issue Liberty Head or Indian Head quarter eagle of the era by its unmistakable Columbia-on-seahorse obverse, entirely unlike either standard type's Liberty head or feathered headdress portrait.

Judging Condition at a Glance

Check Columbia's arm and torso and the hippocampus's head and mane for wear on the obverse, and the eagle's wings and breast on the reverse. As with most commemoratives, most survivors are lightly handled rather than circulated, so evaluate for original luster, natural toning, and any evidence of cleaning or hairline scratches.

Authenticity Red Flags

Watch for cast reproductions that lack sharp definition in the caduceus and cornucopia details, and verify that the coin's diameter and weight match standard quarter eagle specifications. Any example without a visible S mintmark should be examined closely, since this issue was not struck at any other mint.