Numismatics in the World's Columbian Exposition

400 years after Columbus made landfall in the New World, the World's Columbian Exposition became the most defining moment in the United States for years to come. May 1, 1893 marked the opening of this momentous day in history. The Exposition spanned more than 600 acres of beautiful Jackson Park in Chicago that were marked by more than 200 classically designed buildings, bridges and lagoons. The sheer magnitude of the Exposition far surpassed all other World's Fairs further proving the theory of American Exceptionalism. Furthermore, the Fair showed that Chicago had risen from beneath the ashes of the Great Chicago Fire, which in 1871 destroyed 4 square miles of Chicago and took hundreds of lives.

The World's Columbian Exposition remained opened for 6 months, from May 1, 1893 until its closing on October 30, 1893. Through the duration of the Fair more than 27 million people from all over the world attended. These people came to experience the most expansive, technologically advanced and future molding World's Fair in existence. Through the duration of the Fair, the people in attendance experienced many firsts, including the first Ferris wheel. Ferris' wheel, which spanned 264 feet, could accommodate 2,000 people on a single revolution. As well as the experiencing the first Ferris wheel, the American people would have experienced the different cultures of more than 36 different countries around the world including Japan and Egypt.

The World's Columbian Exposition impacted the world greatly. It inspired the minds of great inventors and paved the road for the way we live today. On a numismatic standpoint, the World's Columbian Exposition was responsible for the creation of numismatic items still greatly collected today.

In an effort to honor Christopher Columbus, the Worlds Columbian Board of Directors decided to establish a commemorative half dollar coin that was to be struck by the U.S Mint. A NY Times article dated July 10, 1892 discusses the proposed bill sent to the Senate in regards to the coining of the World's Columbian Exposition commemorative half dollar. The Bill proposed that "these shall be of the same weight and fineness, and have in all other respects the same qualities as the silver half dollar now authorized by law." Outlined in the bill was the means by which the U.S Treasury would present $5,000,000 for the coining of the souvenir half dollars. The coins would be sold for $1 a piece and will raise $10,000,000. There was much objection to creating so many coins. Senator Sherman from Ohio stated that "the enormous number of souvenir half dollars would destroy their value as souvenirs." In objection to Senator Sherman's response, Senator Allison from Iowa stated that "they would not only be souvenirs for this day and generation, but would be transmitted by the sixty-five millions of people now dwelling in the United States to the two hundred millions that were to dwell here in the future. Children would cry for them, and the old men would demand them. They would be withdrawn from circulation and fall into a condition of innocuous desuetude."

Once the bill was passed, the designing of the coin was to be started. The coin was to bear a likeness of Christopher Columbus. In an article from the NY Times dated August 23, 1892, the U.S Mint expresses how inconveniencing it had been to unearth a proper portrait of Christopher Columbus. It had been the Mint's intention to use a portrait from a painter named Sotto, but the portrait did not keep with the generally accepted features of Columbus's face. The dilemma of finding the ideal portrait was solved, when the Mint Bureau in Washington forwarded an etching by Focilion, from Suardo's Columbus. The portrait of Columbus was copied from the original painting owned by Paolo Giovio. The portrait, which had hung on the walls of Giovio's home during the lifetime of Columbus, had always been reputed to be a true original as the two were dear friends. Over 2.5 million examples of the coin were struck for the World's Columbian Exposition. Although many were sold at the Fair, many remained unsold and remained situated in circulation for face value. Today, the Columbian half dollar holds the prestige of being the oldest U.S commemorative half dollar and a remarkable amount still remain in pristine condition.

Women in the 19th century were not regarded to the same way that they are today. The mindset of many in the late 19th century was that a women's place was in the home. In 1890, a woman by the name of Bertha Honoré Palmer was elected as president to the Board of Lady Managers at the World's Columbian Exposition. Palmer traveled around the country generating interest for the Fair. She contracted a spot in the World's Columbian Exposition to build the Women's Building which was designed by a women architect. Palmer was the mind responsible for the suggestion of a commemorative coin for women to be sold during the Fair. To keep with the female theme, Palmer insisted that a portrait of Queen Isabella of Spain be used for the coin. Queen Isabella, who gave her patronage to Columbus, was partly responsible for his historic discovery of the New World. In order to keep with the woman theme once again, Palmer selected a New York artist by the name of Caroline Peddle to design the quarter. Peddle was a student of Augustus St. Gaudens, the famed designer of the double eagle $20 coin. The move of selecting an independent artist insulted the Chief Engraver of the U.S Mint, Charles Barber. Barber would not give the approval of the commemorative coin with Peddle as the artist. Seeing no other options, Palmer allowed Barber to choose an artist to design the coin. An artist by the name of Kenyon Cox was chosen. Cox had painted numerous murals of the exposition and the sketches for the bust of Queen Isabella were done by his hand. Palmer procured enough money for 40,000 commemorative quarters. June 13, 1893 marked the date in which 40,000 souvenir quarters began being at the Philadelphia mint. A NY Times article dated June 14, 1893 stated "The design of the coin exceeds in beauty that of the Columbian half-dollars. The obverse side represents the head of Queen Isabella of Spain wearing the Crown of Castile; while on the reverse side is a woman kneeling by the side of a distaff." The souvenir quarters were sold at the Women's Building for $1.00. Of the original 40,000 coins minted, only 24,191 were sold, the remaining 15,809 were returned to the mint and melted. The Isabella Commemorative Quarter will forever be remembered by the role that women played during the World's Columbian Exposition.

The World's Columbian Exposition was a life changing and momentous experience for all that attended. Tickets for the fair went on sale on April 1, 1892 at various hotels throughout Chicago. Thousands of patrons that were desirous of keeping the tickets as souvenirs or to send them away to friends lined up at various Chicago hotels to purchase the tickets. A NY Times article dated April 2, 1893 stated "Besides the tickets placed on sale at the hotels, Treasurer Seeberger has received large orders for them from business houses who desire to send them out to their customers in the country. The orders already on file from this source alone aggregate over $300,000."

The tickets are as astonishing as the Fair itself. There are six different varieties of tickets that were used, with each one bearing the face of an essential figure in history. There first four were general admission tickets with vignette portraits of an American Indian, Christopher Columbus, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln, each allegorically representing a different era in American history. The last two were printed in much smaller quantities than the general admission tickets and feature the face of inventor Benjamin Franklin and composer George Frideric Handel. The Franklin ticket features the word "complimentary" on the face of the ticket and was sent to businesses that sponsored the fair to be used as gifts for their best customers. Benjamin Franklin was selected for the face of this ticket because of his experiments with electricity, which was the most important and spectacular of all the innovations introduced at the Fair. The "Music" ticket, which is the scarcest of all, features an engraving of the 18th century composer Handel, and was used to gain entry to musical performances. Handel's "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks" were performed at the Fair. Handel's face appearing on the Fair ticket is very suitable being as the Fair showcased the latest in electric fountains and immense displays of fireworks that were displayed with his compositions playing in the background.

The tickets for the Fair were printed by the New York Banknote company. A New York Banknote Company employee, Col. Porter, is awarded credit for designing the tickets for the World's Columbian Exposition. A NY Times article from April 2, 1893 describes the Worlds Fair Tickets "The tickets, which are in four different designs are about 4 inches long by 2 ½ inches wide, the paper used being of remarkably fine texture of a light grayish color. The tickets of the various series differ from each other in the color of their backs, the colors used being brown, red, green and blue. Opposite these handsome vignettes in the right-hand corner of the ticket is engraved: World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago. Admit bearer 1st May to 30th Oct, 1893." Each ticket was beautifully printed and they are truly works of art. Not only did these tickets exhibit striking features, they also featured the premier in anti-counterfeiting measures. "The great safeguards the company relies on against the counterfeiting of these tickets are the use of colors and the delicately toned and intricate engraving, which will render it impossible to photograph the tickets."

Although the World's Columbian Exposition lasted only six months, the innovations that were illustrated throughout the Fair significantly changed the way we live today. The Fair presented the world with some of the most profound numismatic material of all time. From the Columbian Half Dollar and the Isabella Quarter, the first U.S commemorative coins, to the intricately designed admission tickets that displayed the first innovations in anti-counterfeiting measures, the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition changed the world as we now know it.