The 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition Commemorative Coin
The California Pacific International Exposition was a World’s Fair held in San Diego, California, in 1935 and 1936. To defray some of the costs and to confer status and success on the fair, the promoters encouraged California legislators in Congress to introduce and promote a bill to create the San Diego California-Pacific Exposition Half Dollar to help fund the Exposition. The legislated coins would be sold to the Exposition promoters and then could be sold at the California Pacific International Exposition.
The legislation was passed in 1935, authorizing the issuance of 250,000 coins, and the California Pacific International Exposition Company was designated to handle their sale and distribution. Now that this legislation had become law, the Commission needed a coin designer. Robert Aitken, a California sculptor best known for his $50 gold coins designed for the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, was selected to design the San Diego California-Pacific Exposition Half Dollar.
Design Details
Aitken designed a seated Goddess Minerva on the obverse, facing right, holding a spear in her right hand and a shield in her left. A California grizzly bear is to her right. On the shield are the words “EUREKA” and the head of Medusa. Behind her is the San Diego coastline with a sailing ship in the distance. Above Minerva are the words “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” and below her are the words “LIBERTY” and the denomination “HALF – DOLLAR”.
On the reverse of the coin, there were two buildings: The California Observation Tower and the Chapel of St. Francis. Around the periphery is “CALIFORNIA PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION.” To the left of the tower is “SAN DIEGO” and to the right is the date “1935” or “1936”, and below the buildings is the motto “IN GOD WE TRUST”. The mintmark varied by year. An “S” stood for the San Francisco Mint (1935) or a “D” for the Denver Mint (1936).
Distribution Details
In 1935, the San Francisco Mint struck 250,000 coins and delivered them to the Exposition officials. Sales were completed at the Exposition in person and through the mail. Combined, only 70,132 coins were sold, so the remaining nearly 180,000 coins were returned to the U.S. Mint. However, further legislation was secured in Congress to have the unsold coins returned, melted, and struck again, this time minted at the Denver Mint with a 1936 date.
Sales, in 1936, were even less successful than in 1935. In 1936, only 30,092 coins were sold to fairgoers, and the rest were returned to the mint and melted. By 1938, Emil Klicka, who was the Treasurer for the now-ended World’s Fair, was still selling coins through the mail. The 1936 issue was priced at $1 each, whereas the 1935 issue was $2. There was a known hoard of 1935-S San Diego coins numbering more than 31,000 pieces, representing about 45% of the existing coins. The hoard was slowly dispersed between the 1960s and 1980s.
To find other commemorative coins, check out APMEX’s collection of U.S. classic silver commemorative coins.
