United States 1903 dollar KM-120
The McKinley gold dollar was authorized by a rider to an appropriations bill, dated June 28, 1902. The purpose was fund-raising for the celebration of Louisiana Purchase, held at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, Forest Park, St. Louis, on April 30, through December 1, 1904. The exposition area covered two square miles and included more than two hundred buildings. Both the size and the cost of $19.6 million were double that of the Columbian Exposition ten years before. A major goal of the event was to demonstrate progress, a term many felt was synonymous with the civilization represented by the industrialized Western nations. It was accompanied by a commemorative with the same reverse but with third president Jefferson on the obverse (KM 119).
Recorded mintage: 125,000 were minted but only 17,500 were sold. The first 100 strikes were sold as proofs.
Specification: 1.69 g, 0.900 fine gold, 14.3 mm diameter, reeded edge, designed by Charles Barber.
Catalog reference: KM 120.
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