Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1904-01-01
LOUISIANA PURCHASE
GOLD DOLLAR
Finest Example Of Modern Coin
age Art.
% CD o
written BY Farran zerbe. }

written BY Farran Zerbe.l
"The late coins issued from the
United States Mint at Phlladel-
mia to commemorate the Louisiana
Purchase Gold Dollar have been
pronounced by numismatists the
finest examples of modern coming
art. This coinage, which will live
as a metallic memorial OF the great
Worlds Fair of 1904, was provided
for by specific Act of Congress
which also limits their issue to go,
GOO pieces. The entire coinage will
be delivered direct to the Exposi'
ton Company and will represent
part of the Governments general
appropriation of S5,OOO,OOO for the
Exposition.
These specially designed coins
are OF two types: two obverses hav-
Jog the same reverse; $4,000 bear
an excellent likeness to Thomas
Jefferson Government father OF
the Louisiana Purchase. This
portrait of Jefferson. which is pro.
nounced the best known, was taken
from one of the medals IN the Mint
cabinet, the original of which was
engraved by John Reich, who, for
some years during the Jefferson
period, was Connected with the
Mine. The other l25,000 present
the profile of William Mckinley, the
Government father of the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition The McKln-
ley portrait was also taken from
Mint cabinet medal, for which the
late president gave special sitting
to Mint Engraver Charles e Barb
err. and which is considered by the
late presidents friends his best
portrait.
Surrounding these profile Por-
traits is the inscription: United
States of America. The reverse is
inscribed: Louisiana Purchase Ex-
position st. Louis which sur
rounds One Dollar 1908 1908
and a small olive branch, emble-
matte of peace.
Gold dollars were first issued 10
1849 and coined every year until
discontinued 10 1889 During these
forty years over nineteen million
pieces passed to circulaton, and.
thought It is less than fifteen years
since they ceased to be coined, all
h ave disappeared from circulation.
In. fact thus type of coin is Curl
oslty to many and the most common
dates command 81 each from coin
dealers and the ran est. 1878. is in
demand at prices approaching 500.
The general interest that is TO be
found for the regular issue prompted
the Exposition Company to adopt
the gold dollar for its commemora'
tive coinage; and the prices the
regular issue commands, consider.
iug large nu nber that were coined,
led to placing the price of IS on the
Louisiana Purchase gold dollar.
Ia an Official circular 1t is stated
''No colus of this issue will be plac-
ed upon sale at lower figure.
Most all who will find an interest in
preserving this coin, which may be
called d gem, will want both types
and in this respect only 125, 900
purchasers can be accommodate.
ed
The Louisiana Purchase golc
dollarr is the fourth child in the
numsmatic family of United States
commemorative issues; it is the
diminutive member Of that family
but the most artistic and powerful
as it is the finest example of design
ing, engraving and stamping anc
is Of gold. This older members o
the family are less fine and all il
the baser metal, silver"
Justice to its artistic merits cauno
be given in an illustration. TIL,
excelle5t portraiture that has beer
reprod feed within the diameter 0
# n nd inch is indi-1ff551le Of oul
nd .try's progress anR leadership
the art Of die engraving ant
rhetai stamping. FRI mas M
tEismAtist. 1t OF fos,
~ -. - : e ,s.....ss..,.a.mns,6d0 pounds
bout 900 p0p