Obverse reads: - (Hover for larger image)
Reverse reads: (Hover for larger image)
The following is an excerpt from chapter 11 of Fred Lavin's book. "PANORAMA of the PAN=AM, An Illustrated Guide to Souvenirs from / THE PAN-AMERICAN EXPOSITION of 1901 in Buffalo, NY". I would like to thank Fred for his generosity. The page layout will vary from the published book for the convenience of the reader and web layout. If you are interested in information on the name Pan AM - see Pan below. (-Editor)
The following is a listing system for the lucky pennies or encased cents issued in connection with the Pan-American Exposition. I have divided them into two categories according to shape - round-shaped and shapes other than round. There are many more varieties of the round ones than the non-rounds so I have allocated the numbers (following the EC prefix) 1 through 50 for the rounds and 5l and up for the non-rounds, thereby allowing (hopefully) plenty of unused numbers to be assigned to new encaseds as they are discovered. If different variations of certain encaseds are known, and the variations are relatively minor, I have assigned them letter suffixes to follow the same number, e.g. EC03A, EC03B, etc. If the variation is major, it is assigned its own number. The side of the encased that normally shows the head of the Indian head penny is called the obverse and the side that shows the tail or back of the penny is called the reverse; however, I have seen pairs of encaseds in which the head of the penny faced one side on one and the opposite side on the other.
Unless otherwise indicated, all encaseds are U.S. 1901 Indian head pennies in an aluminum casing.
ROUND-SHAPED (unless otherwise indicated, encased is 1 1/2 inches or 38mm in diameter and the cent is centered in the middle of the encased). As I obtain images of encased to match the varieties I will post them.
This section consists of a series of round encased in which the holder is not made from aluminum but rather from a much thicker hard plastic like substance covered with paper on the obverse and reverse; the penny is visible only on the obverse. The edges or rims come in different colors, red, blue, green, orange, yellow and tan; each reverse may come in each of the colors but only the ones which have been seen are listed. Each obverse is the same as follows:
These are what I refer to as "vulcanite" encased. Images of "vulcanite" encased can be seen here - Editor
Vulcanite encased EC34, GREEN RIM - "I AM NEVER BROKE / LUCKY SOUVENIR / PATNET APPLIED FOR"
A little information about the Expo. (I moved this to the bottom as I expect most readers to be interested in the encased information first. (-Editor)
Although many Pan-Am souvenirs come in the shape of a frying pan, obviously, that type of pan has nothing to do with the use of the word, "Pan", in the phrase, "Pan-American Exposition". But why was the expo called the Pan-Am? Actually, "pan" comes from a Greek word meaning "all" and the Pan-American Expo just as easily could have been called the All-American Expo since it was intended to be for the American nations - all those in the Western Hemisphere. However, once the Pan-Am name had been decided on, another Pan figured prominently in its planning.
"Pan" is the name of a mythical Greek god, who was the god of shepherds and their flocks and also of the woodlands. He was named Pan because he alone was liked by all the other gods. Many legends, often contradicting each other, exist about his birth and parentage. Sometimes he is depicted as a normal young man and other times as a mature man with goat's legs, feet, and horns and playing a shepherd’s pipe, which he purportedly invented. No matter which is accurate, Pan has certainly well represented at the PAE.
A "shrine" to Pan was erected on a wooded island in the southeast corner of the expo grounds; this island was probably in the bay behind the New York State Building. In the Fine Arts Building, there was a colossal statue of a reclining Pan by George Gray Barnard. (excerpted from p8 - Editor)
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