The 1893 World Columbian Exposition held in Chicago to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World was one of the largest and most popular World’s Fairs in history. Many numismatic items were struck in connection with the Columbian Exposition from the first commemorative coins of the United States to nearly a hundred different so-called dollars. This is one of the so-called Exhibition Palace Dollars from the Columbian Exposition featuring the Electrical Building which is listed as HK-189 in the Hibler-Kappen book on So-Called Dollars and has been graded MS65 by NGC. The obverse features a bust of Christopher Columbus and the reverse is a detailed rendition of the Electrical Building with notes that it was 345 feet wide, 700 feet long and cost $401,000. This piece is bright white and somewhat prooflike, but a slight haziness seemingly prevented a PL designation by NGC. Nevertheless, this piece is tied for the finest known example of the HK-189 as it is one of only two (2) examples graded MS65 with none finer graded by NGC. An opportunity to obtain one of the finest, and maybe the finest example known of this so-called dollar from the Columbian Exposition. |