1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition Official Medal, HK-401, HK-400, NGC MS-66
1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition Official Medal, HK-401, HK-400, NGC MS-66
Official Medal in Bronze from the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. Choice Uncirculated, certified NGC MS-66 as HK-401. NGC Cert 6440555-003. In my opinion this is not a correct attribution, and I believe this HK-400. HK-401 is "Gilt" (Gold Plated), and the surfaces on this piece are clearly NOT gilt (I have owned and certified quite a number, and know the difference). Design catalogued as SH 18-1 in Jeff Shevlin's listing of West Coast Exposition So Called Dollars, as well as Swoger-21a in that reference. This appears to be Shevlin's Bright Bronze. About as fully struck as these seem to come, with bright flashy surfaces, just a touch of light purple-red toning on the high points of the Reverse. Both HK-400 and 401 have about the same number certified in MS-66, so no real difference in rarity; tied for Top Pop as HK-400.