Last weekend I was happy to find myself in Las Vegas attending a coin show that I has been looking forward to for quite sometime.  The Las Vegas Numismatic Society's 56th Coin Show.  It was a smaller venue about 100 vendors, just right for me!  There was so much to see and lots of variety.  Coins, currency, commemorative's, medals, gold, silver, books, supply's...  they had it all!  I went with a list and a budget in mind and manged to stick to it pretty good.   I did find this Medal from a dealer way in the back corner and thought it would make a nice addition to my collection.  It's a "So-Called Dollar" from the 1915  Panama-Pacific International Exposition (Montana). San Francisco.  Made of bronze, weight of 32.02 gm. and is 32 mm.  It was for the State Dollar Fund of Montana.  The obverse shows Winged Victory standing on the prow of a ship holding a laurel wreath out before her. There are exposition buildings, a riverboat and hills in the background.   The reverse depicts a Montana scene with mountains, a stream, mining tools and a rising sun.  Happy with this great find, I was off to the next vendors table where who knows what I might find!  Buffalo Nickels perhaps...???    But that's the next blog...  ; )  haha  Hope you enjoyed my blog.  All comments are welcomed. 

I couldn't believe it when I opened my package from the auction house in which I won this beautiful Medal!   My first thought was it's so big!!!   Especially in the holder!   This is my first Medal purchase and I love it!      Officially it's a 1876 Dated J-CM-11 ,AE 58mm United States Centennial   MS 62 BN... Now that's quite a title   : )      The obverse is Liberty placing a wreath on the heads of Industry and Art with the date 1876 below.    It reads " In Commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence.  Act of Congress June 1874. "     The reverse is Rising Liberty with an unsheathed sword beneath 13 stars in a glory.  Date 1776.  The legend around reads " These United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States. "  The engraver is William Barber and there was about 7,000 pieces struck in Bronze.   I feel so fortunate and proud to have this Medal in my collection, as the history behind it speaks for itself.  ******* My research came from a reference book that I checked out from the ANA Library.  "Medals of the United States Mint." The First Century 1792-1892    By R.W. Julian