Classic gold commemoratives span dollar, quarter-eagle, and fifty-dollar formats, including the distinctive round and octagonal Panama-Pacific pieces.

This guide covers the normalized 1903–1926 classic gold issues; modern five-dollar commemoratives form another catalog.

Core specifications

Issue period
1903–1926
Catalog mints
2
Reported catalog mintage
153,955
Composition
90% Gold, 10% Copper
Diameter
Varies by type
Weight
Varies by type

Prestige formats for fairs and memorials

Gold allowed commemorative sponsors to create premium products whose denominations and physical formats varied sharply.

The 1915 Panama-Pacific fifty-dollar coins are especially important because the round and octagonal forms are separate official designs.

Obverse, reverse, and the details that identify the type

Confirm the major design, date, and mint mark before studying smaller die differences.

The main portrait and date

Historical portraits and allegorical figures dominate; denomination and program inscriptions are essential identification markers.

Denomination, subject, and mint mark

Eagles, memorial devices, and exposition symbols differ by issue, while mint marks may be small or absent.

Where the cataloged coins were made

Totals are calculated from reported issue records in this catalog; unknown figures are not counted as zero.

  • P — Philadelphia: 1903, 1904, 1905, 1916, 1917, 1922, 1926; 131,078. Philadelphia issues commonly carry no P mint mark in classic series; confirm the expected blank area rather than searching for a letter.
  • S — San Francisco: 1915; 22,877. Confirm the S mint mark together with its expected year, position, and issue format.

Representative issues that explain the series

Begin with one accessible gold-dollar or quarter-eagle type before treating the fifty-dollar pieces as specialist goals.

  • 1903 G$1 LA Purch-Jefferson — 17,500. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1917 G$1 McKinley — 10,000. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.
  • 1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific, Octagonal — 645. Open the issue page and read this record together with its type, mint, finish, and grade context.

Issue catalog

1903 G$1 LA Purch-Jefferson1903 G$1 LA Purch-McKinley1904 G$1 Lewis and Clark1905 G$1 Lewis and Clark1915-S G$1 Panama-Pacific1916 G$1 McKinley1917 G$1 McKinley1922 G$1 Grant, No Star1922 G$1 Grant, Star1926 $2.50 Sesquicentennial1915-S $2.50 Panama-Pacific1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific, Round1915-S $50 Panama-Pacific, Octagonal

From one type coin to a complete catalog

  • One representative coin: Choose one problem-free, readable example and learn the size, edge, and major design.
  • Major-type set: Use one coin per major design to show changes in artwork, composition, or production.
  • Dates and mints: Work through the issue catalog by date and mint, defining special finishes separately.

A note on catalog records

This page uses 13 issue records, 0 modeled varieties, and currently reported mintages; unknown values remain unknown.

Sources

  1. Commemorative Coin Program Over the Years — United States Mint
  2. Commemorative Coin Programs — United States Mint
  3. Gold Commemorative category reference — PCGS CoinFacts