Continuing my past "In the News" post series for the 1893 Isabella Quarter...The July 1, 1893 edition of the
Grand Forks Herald (Grand Forks, North Dakota) included a release titled "At the World's Fair" that touched upon a variety of topics, including the then upcoming Queen
Isabella Quarter. (The release was carried by multiple newspapers of the day.)
The article indicated that the coins were expected to be received from the Mint the following week and that they were to be sold for $1.00 each. Interestingly, the article noted that the Board of Lady Managers' plan was to sell the first 20,000 coins for $1.00 and then adjust the price based on demand - it was expected that demand would create a price increase.
History tells us that demand for the coin was not particularly strong, and that approximately 15,800 coins (of 40,000 struck) were returned to the Mint to be melted. The coin's Exposition selling price did not advance past the initial $1.00 per coin. In fact, many of the coins were sold to dealers and members of the Board of Lady Managers at prices as low as face value.
The same article discussed the potential plan for net proceeds from the coin sales to act as seed money for a fund that would be used to construct a permanent home for the items on display in the Women's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Such a building was to serve as "a permanent monument to the greatness of the fairer sex and an aid to women of the coming generation."
Such a building was not constructed, however. After the Exposition closed, the various items displayed in the Women's Building (e.g., paintings, sculpture, crafts, books) were either returned to their owners, damaged/destroyed or placed into storage and eventually lost - it's also possible that a few items wound up in a museum somewhere, though not, apparently, the Field Museum in Chicago. All of the items displayed in the Women's Building were said to have been produced and/or invented by women. The Women's Building itself, built as a temporary structure, was demolished after the Exposition closed..
The net proceeds from the sale of the souvernir quarters went to meet general expenses of the Board of Lady Managers. Not as lofty a use as a dedicated "monument" to the abilities of women, but one that met practical needs.
Note: During one of its meetings, the Board of Lady Managers voted to award each member of the Board a complimentary example of the Isabella Quarter Dollar. This accounted for at least 117 of the coins!1893 World's Columbian Exposition - Queen Isabella Quarter
For other of my topics on commemorative coins and medals, including more on the
Isabella Quarter, see:
Commems Collection.
Posted 08/18/2025 10:42 am
