Product Details

The 1915-S Panama-Pacific Half Dollar was authorized by an Act of Congress on June 16, 1915 as a fund-raiser for the International Exhibition held in San Francisco, California celebrating the opening of the Panama-Pacific Canal. The Act authorized a mintage of 200,000 pieces, but only 60,030 were struck. In addition to the regular silver pieces just mentioned, a small number of examples in gold, silver, and copper were struck at the Philadelphia Mint before the "S" mintmark was added to the dies. No record of any Proof strikings exist, but Breen repeats the rumor of the existence of two Satin Finish Proofs, both with mintmarks. The Panama-Pacific Half Dollars were sold individually for $1.00 or as part of complete sets (containing a Pan-Pac Half Dollar, a Pan-Pac $1.00, a Pan-Pac $2.50, a Pan-Pac $50 Round, and a Pan-Pac $50 Octagonal), or as part of complete double-sets (containing two each of the Pan-Pac Half Dollar, the Pan-Pac $1.00, the Pan-Pac $2.50, the Pan-Pac $50 Round, and the Pan-Pac $50 Octagonal). Of the original mintage of 60,030 pieces, 30 were set aside for assay purposes and 32,866 unsold coins were destroyed, leaving a net mintage of 27,134. Many Uncirculated examples exist, with the most common grade being MS-64. Gem examples are readily available.