1876 U.S. Centennial Exposition

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

America had come of age, and wanted to let the world know. The Centennial Exposition, the first official world’s fair in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10th to November 10th, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. 93 different so-called dollars were struck in various compositions for this exposition. The details are cataloged in my 2023 book So-Called Dollars Volume I: United States Expositions. Click on the “View All” link below to see them.

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So-Called Dollars Category SH 2:

Centennial Exposition Official Medal

1876 · SH 2-1 S · HK-20 · Silver

This medal depicts a female (Liberty) as a symbol of the United States rising up…

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Centennial Exposition Nevada

1876 · SH 2-2 S · HK-19 · Silver

Made of pure silver crushed from Nevada ores at the Nevada quartz mill located in…

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Centennial Exposition Liberty Bell/Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-3 S PR · HK-23 · Silver Proof

The Liberty Bell was on display at the Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia. The dates…

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Centennial Liberty Bell Rounded 6 / Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-4 WM · White Metal

William H. Key engraved two different dies with the Liberty Bell design. Careful inspection reveals…

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Centennial Washington Military Bust / Liberty Bell

1876 · SH 2-5 CU · HK-31 · Copper

The military bust of Washington is signed Key F. below the bust, made by William…

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Centennial Washington Military Bust / Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-6 S · HK-39 · Silver

Engraver William H. Key’s signed military bust of Washington is combined with the large Independence…

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Centennial Washington Military Bust / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-7 WM · HK-70B · White Metal

Key’s signed military bust of Washington with an unsigned arabesque scrolls reverse die. Apparently not…

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Centennial Independence Hall / Chosen Friends

1876 · SH 2-8 CU · HK-46A · Copper

A medal authorized by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a non-political and non-sectarian international…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / G.A.R. Badge

1876 · SH 2-9 CU · HK-37 · Copper

An argument could be made that since the reverse die has a G.A.R Grand Army…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / Garland

1876 · SH 2-10 CU · Copper

Key’s Liberty Bell is paired with a plain reverse that has a circle of garland…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Liberty Bell

1876 · SH 2-11 CU · HK-32A · Copper

The Washington bust design engraved by Soley is combined with the Liberty Bell design engraved…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-12 CU · Copper

The Washington bust design engraved by Soley is combined with the Independence Hall Bell design…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Small Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-13 S · HK-42 · Silver

Both dies were engraved by George B. Soley. Soley’s Washington Large Bust die is also…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Seated Liberty

1876 · SH 2-14 CU · HK-53 · Copper

Soley’s Seated Liberty design with Liberty sitting on a keystone symbolizes the strength of America…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / American Colonies

1876 · SH 2-15 CU · Copper

Auction catalogs from 1878 & 1879 name the reverse die the “American Colonies,” representing the…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Centennial Fountain

1876 · SH 2-16 WM · HK-68 · White Metal

The Centennial Fountain was funded and built under the direction of the Catholic Church to…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-17 S · Silver

Obverse die by Soley, reverse die with arabesque scrolls likely done by Soley as well.…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Star

1876 · SH 2-18 WM · White Metal

Soley’s white metal variety reverse die has a “No” for “number” engraved into the die…

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Centennial Small Independence Hall / Star

1876 · SH 2-19 CU · HK-47A · Copper

Soley’s Independence Hall obverse die and his Star reverse die with legend stating it was…

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Centennial Seated Liberty / Star

1876 · SH 2-20.1 WM · White Metal

Scott Stamp & Coin Company, in their October 27, 1879 auction, lot #689, sold a…

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Centennial American Colonies / Star

1876 · SH 2-21 CU · HK-72C · Copper

Soley’s star reverse was struck in five different metals and is found paired with five…

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Centennial Fountain / Star

1876 · SH 2-22 CU · Copper

The Centennial Fountain die is found paired with Soley’s Washington Large Bust, this star reverse,…

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Centennial Fountain / Total Abstinence

1876 · SH 2-23 S · HK-69A · Silver

The Centennial Fountain design is found in two varieties, with and without a comma following…

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Centennial Fountain / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-24 S · HK-62 · Silver

In the January 1876 issue of the American Journal of Numismatics Henry W. Holland began…

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Total Abstinence / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-25 S · Silver

The H.W. Holland list of Centennial Medals published in the January 1876 American Journal of…

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Centennial Seated Liberty / Small Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-26 WM · HK-51 · White Metal

Engraved by George B. Soley, who was a diesinker and worked at the U.S. Mint…

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Centennial Small Independence Hall / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-27 CU · Copper

Soley’s Small Independence Hall paired with the Scrolls reverse. Only known struck in copper and…

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Centennial Seated Liberty / American Colonies

1876 · SH 2-28 S · HK-56 · Silver

A seated woman, similar to that on William Barber’s 1873-1885 U.S. Trade Dollars, represents America.…

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Centennial Seated Liberty / American Colonies

1876 · SH 2-28 GP · HK-58 · Gold-Plated

A seated woman, similar to James Longacre’s one-dollar patterns, represents America. The reverse depicts an…

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Centennial Seated Liberty / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-29 CU · Copper

Soley’s Seated Liberty design is paired with his scrolls reverse. The scrolls reverse is found…

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Centennial American Colonies / Scrolls

1876 · SH 2-30 S · Silver

The H.W. Holland list of Centennial medals published in the January 1876 American Journal of…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / Crossing the Delaware

1876 · SH 2-31 WM · White Metal

Soley’s obverse of Washington’s bust is paired with a die by an unknown engraver. The…

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Centennial Washington Large Bust / New Jersey Seal

1876 · SH 2-32 WM · White Metal

Soley’s obverse of Washington’s bust is paired with a die by an unknown engraver. The…

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Centennial General George Washington / Crossing the Delaware

1876 · SH 2-33 BZ · Bronze

The authors struggled with this medal as it was possibly engraved by George Morgan, and…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / Sunday School

1876 · SH 2-34 CU · HK-35 · Copper

Authorized to be struck by a church, so an argument could be made that this…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / Siloam M.E. Church

1876 · SH 2-35 WM · HK-33B · White Metal

As with the prior cataloged so-called dollar, the authors could have opted to exclude this…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / Cumberland M.E. Church

1876 · SH 2-36 WM · HK-34B · White Metal

As with the two prior cataloged so-called dollars, the authors could have opted to exclude…

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Centennial Liberty Bell / Children’s HOP

1876 · SH 2-37 WM · White Metal

Authorized to be struck by a church, so an argument could be made that this…

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Centennial Main Building / Free People

1876 · SH 2-38 S · HK-81A · Silver

The Main Exposition Building adorns the obverse, with microscopic “W.H. Key F” (William H. Key’s…

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Centennial Horticultural Hall / Free People

1876 · SH 2-39 S · HK-87A · Silver

The Horticultural Hall on the obverse, one of the many Centennial So-Called Dollars engraved and…

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Centennial Art Gallery / Free People

1876 · SH 2-40 CU · HK-83 · Copper

The Edifice of the Art Gallery is on the obverse. It is one of the…

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Centennial Art Gallery / Free People

1876 · SH 2-40 GUP · HK-86 · Gutta-Percha

On the obverse is the Art Gallery Building, constructed for the Centennial Exposition held in…

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Centennial Main Building / Art Gallery

1876 · SH 2-41 WM · HK-89A · White Metal

Key’s Main Exposition Building die and his Art Gallery die are paired on this example.

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Centennial Main Building / Horticultural Hall

1876 · SH 2-42 GP · HK-89F · Gold-Plated

Key’s Main Exposition Building die and his Horticultural Hall die are paired on this example.

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Centennial Art Gallery / Horticultural Hall

1876 · SH 2-43 CU · HK-89 · Copper

Key’s Art Gallery die and his Horticultural Hall die are paired on this example.

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Centennial Grand Entrance

1876 · SH 2-44 GP · Gold-Plated

This is the only exposition building die not engraved by Key; it is a George…

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Centennial Small Liberty Bell With Star / Independence Hall With Trees

1876 · SH 2-45 S · HK-27B · Silver

The smaller Liberty Bell design is found with and without a star at 6:00 in…

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Centennial Small Liberty Bell No Star / Independence Hall With Trees

1876 · SH 2-46 CU · HK-27 · Copper

The smaller Liberty Bell no star variety is considerably scarcer than the star variety. Struck…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence Demarest / Washington Ornamental Bust

1876 · SH 2-47 S · HK-75A · Silver

The Declaration of Independence die has three different varieties that are found paired with the…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence Demarest / John Hancock Signature

1876 · SH 2-48 S · Silver

The Declaration of Independence die engraved by Demarest has four people seated and two standing…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence Three Seated One Standing / John Hancock Signature

1876 · SH 2-49 WM · White Metal

The Declaration of Independence obverse has three different varieties that are found paired with the…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence Demarest / Declaration of Independence four seated

1876 · SH 2-50 WM · White Metal

Two Declatation of Independence dies muled together, one is signed by Demarest, the other is…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence four seated / Washington Ornamental Bust

1876 · SH 2-51 S · HK-79A · Silver

The Declaration of Independence die has three different varieties that are found paired with the…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence three seated one standing / Washington Ornamental Bust

1876 · SH 2-52 WM · White Metal

The Declaration of Independence obverse has three different varieties that are found paired with the…

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Centennial Declaration of Independence three seated one standing / Commemoration

1876 · SH 2-53 WM · HK-74 · White Metal

The obverse, likely engraved by Lovett, features a copy of John Trumbulls painting of the…

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Centennial Washington Ornamental Bust / John Hancock Signature

1876 · SH 2-54 WM · White Metal

The Washington die, engraved by George Hampden Lovett, features a naked bust of George Washington…

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Centennial Washington Ornamental Bust / Commemoration

1876 · SH 2-55 WM · White Metal

The obverse, engraved by George Hampden Lovett, features a naked bust of George Washington with…

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Centennial Union Forever

1876 · SH 2-56 BS · Brass

Microscopic “Lovett” for George H. Lovett on Washington’s bust truncation. Shaking hands are in the…

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Centennial Exposition Lovett Battle of Moores Creek Bridge

1876 · SH 2-57 BZ · HK-91 · Bronze

The first in a series of eight medals engraved and issued by George Hampden Lovett…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Moores Creek

1876 · SH 2-57 WM · HK-92 · White Metal

The first in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Sullivan’s Island

1876 · SH 2-58 S · HK-93 · Silver

The second in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Long Island

1876 · SH 2-59 S · HK-96 · Silver

The third in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Harlem Plains

1876 · SH 2-60 BZ · HK-100 · Bronze

The fourth in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Lake Champlain

1876 · SH 2-61 S · HK-102 · Silver

The fifth in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of White Plains

1876 · SH 2-62 WM · HK-107 · White Metal

The sixth in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Fort Washington

1876 · SH 2-63 S · HK-108 · Silver

The seventh in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Battle of Trenton

1876 · SH 2-64 BZ · HK-112 · Bronze

The eight in a series of eight medals with a large bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Moores Creek

1876 · SH 2-65 BZ · Bronze

The first in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Sullivan’s Island

1876 · SH 2-66 WM · White Metal

The second in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Long Island

1876 · SH 2-67 BZ · Bronze

The third in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Harlem Plains

1876 · SH 2-68 BZ · Bronze

The fourth in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Lake Champlain

1876 · SH 2-69 BZ · Bronze

The fifth in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of White Plains

1876 · SH 2-70 BZ · Bronze

The sixth in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Fort Washington

1876 · SH 2-71 BZ · Bronze

The seventh in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Small Bust Battle of Trenton

1876 · SH 2-72 BZ · Bronze

The eighth in a series of eight medals with a smaller bust of Washington, engraved…

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Centennial Lovett Large & Small Bust

1876 · SH 2-73 S · Silver

The Lovett Battle Series with large and small busts combined. Reportedly one struck in silver…

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Centennial Children of America

1876 · SH 2-74 BZ · HK-115 · Bronze

Another Lovett design using the same central device with a small bust of Washington as…

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Centennial Delphos School

1876 · SH 2-75 WM · White Metal

Another Lovett design using the same central device with a bust of Washington as on…

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Centennial Washington First in War

1876 · SH 2-76 WM · White Metal

This original Washington bust design was engraved by Mathias Nicole Marie Vivier around 1818 for…

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Centennial Washington / Memorial Building

1876 · SH 2-77 BS · Brass

George Washington’s bust on the obverse with the Memorial Building on the reverse. Neither die…

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Centennial Washington / Memorial Building Copyright

1876 · SH 2-78 BS · Brass

The obverse is similar to the preceeding (SH 2-77) without the cinquefoils on either side…

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Centennial Washington Independence Hall

1876 · SH 2-79 WM · White Metal

Obverse features the bust of Washington in civilian dress, three quarters facing left. Independence Hall…

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Centennial Washington with Sword Memorial Hall

1876 · SH 2-80 WM · White Metal

Obverse features a half length view of Washington in civilian dress facing three quarters to…

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Centennial Washington and Grant

1876 · SH 2-81 WM · HK-118 · White Metal

Standing figures of Washington, who was 6’3’’ tall, and Grant, each with their hand on…

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Centennial Seventh Regiment Visit

1876 · SH 2-82 BZ · Bronze

Signed by engraver Demarest SC. N.Y. for Abraham Demarest Sr. New York, signature below monument.…

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Centennial Eternal Vigilance

1876 · SH 2-83 CU · Copper

Scene of Liberty holding a wreath over the head of Vigilance, dies engraved by Charles…

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Centennial Abraham Lincoln

1876 · SH 2-84 S · Silver

Abraham Lincoln bust on the obverse. Reverse legend states “Our Nations Freedom Achieved by Washington…

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Centennial Ulysses S. Grant

1876 · SH 2-85 WM · White Metal

Ulysses S. Grant bust on the obverse. An angle with wings flys above the exposition…

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Centennial Washington See How We Prosper

1876 · SH 2-86 WM · White Metal

Obverse bust of Washington, engraved by German-American engraver Rudolf Laubenheimer. One of five different obverse…

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Centennial Catholic See How We Prosper

1876 · SH 2-87 BZ · Bronze

Catholic version, “In Honor of the Catholic Visitors to the International Exposition.” Designed by German-American…

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Centennial England See How We Prosper

1876 · SH 2-88 S · Silver

English version, “In Honor of the English Visitors to the International Exposition.” Designed by German-American…

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Centennial German See How We Prosper

1876 · SH 2-89 BZ · Bronze

German version, in German the legend states “In Honor of the German Visitors to the…

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Centennial France See How We Prosper

1876 · SH 2-90 WM · White Metal

French version, in French the legend states “In Honor of the French Visitors to the…

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Centennial Washington and Liberty Bell on Shields

1876 · SH 2-91 WM · White Metal

The bust of Washington is on a shield with the date 1776 above, on the…

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Centennial Washington Grand Entrance SCD

1876 · SH 2-92 WM · White Metal

George H. Lovett’s bust of George Washington First in War SH-76 is paired with Lovett’s…

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