California International Midwinter Expo 1894 Medal/ introducing Aluminum

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California International Midwinter Expo 1894 Medal/ introducing Aluminum:
$55.00

Offered is a rare medallion minted for the California International Expo of 1894. The medallion is about the size of a silver dollar and features on the obverse \"Bonet\'s Tower\" with the inscripton \"California Midwinter International Exposition\" around its outer edge. The outer edge of the reverse has the inscription \"THIS MEDAL IS MADE OF THE WONDERFUL METAL ALUMINUM\" and another inscription in the center \" ODORLESS TASTELESS MALEABLE DUCTILE\".Its seems therefore that Aluminum was introduced to the world at this Expo. I have seen other medals on the internet but none exactly like this. As it introduces the \"wonderful\" medal aluminum, it certainly is a piece of history. Because of their size, such medals are referred to as \"So Called Dollars\".Here is the info I have been able to gather on the internet (including Wikipedia) about the Expo:

TheCalifornia Midwinter International Expositionof 1894, commonly referred to as the \"Midwinter Exposition\" or the \"Midwinter Fair\", was aWorld\'s Fairthat officially operated from Jan. 27th to July 5 in San Francisco\'s Golden Gate Park.

In 1892, President Benj. Harrisonnameda national commissioner to the 1893 World\'s Columbian Expo in Chicago. During the Chicago Expo the commisioner recognized an opportunity to stimulate California\'s economy in its time of depression. In the summer of 1893, he announced plans for the California Midwinter International Expo to be held in Golden Gate Park. One of the draws, according to the commissioner, was California\'s weather, which would allow for a fair in the middle of winter. The Golden Gate Park Superintendentfought against holding the Expo in the park but In August 1893, the U.S. Congress approved it.

The fair encompassed 200 acres centered on the park\'s current Music Concourse.

Bonet’s Towerwas a large steel tower set in the center of the Grand Court of Honor that harnessed the recent discovery of electrical lighting, designed by architect Leopold Bonet. It was approximately a third the size of theEiffel Towerand was adorned with 3,200 multicolored lights.The top level of the tower housed a spotlight which was used to illuminate popular locations in the park, as well as the nearbyLone Mountain.The tower proved to be the largest source of income for the fair, as elevator rides to the top cost $0.25, and rides to the first level cost $0.10.Bonet’s Tower remained standing for 2 years untilJohn McLarencalled for it to be destroyed with high-powered explosives.

So-Called DollarsCALIFORNIA MIDWINTER EXPOSITION
1894
SAN FRANCISCO, CA

Purpose:To bring to California, exposition of \"worldwide interest and significance\"; to divert public mind from Panic of 1893; to bring homeseekers to state, showing them \"resources and versatility of its inhabitants.\"

Organization:Idea conceived by M. H. de Young, owner of San FranciscoChronicleand vice president of Columbian Exposition, while attending latter Fair; campaigned vigorously for it in his newspaper. Executive Committee created to stage event; financed by public subscriptions and contracts to concessionaires. By opening day, $730,000 had been spent \"without the gift of a single dollar from the nation, state or municipality.\" Ground broken Aug. 24, 1893; more than 100 buildings completed 6 months later.

Site, Dates, Attendance:Center of Golden Gate Park; 200 acres cleared for purpose. Held Feb. 28-July 9, 1894; attendance over 2,255,000. Palace of Fine Arts and Japanese Tea Garden were only permanent buildings but former replaced 1917 by de Young Museum; Tea Garden remains.

Participants:Many states, territories and foreign countries brought their exhibits from Columbian Exposition; only few erected own buildings but many California counties did. There was early complaint that Federal government actually hindered transfer of foreign displays from Chicago; several Federal departments represented butno Mint Exhibit.

Comment:Variety of architectural approaches--Old Mission, modified Corinthian, Egyptian, Moorish and East Indian, among others--earned name \"Sunset City\"; opened in winter to \"accentuate the climatic possibilities of California...at the time of the severest low temperature in the Eastern country.\" Exposition emphasized agricultural, horticultural and mineral exhibits; many new varieties fruits and grains displayed for first time. Original subscriptions apparently were in form of donations, requiring no reimbursement, so net proceeds of Fair used to buy foreign art exhibits as nucleus for city museum.

Medals:First two medals below long considered as \"official\" but actually there was no dollar-size piece so labeled by exposition; many aluminum medals listed were struck in Mechanics Building on grounds.