1 Ounce - Colorado Century of Progress

HK-867 - On reverse, inscription includes TO COLORADO

HK-868 - On reverse, inscription does not include TO COLORADO (All but 700 were melted)

Colorado State Legislature failed to appropriate funds for participation in Century of Progress Exposition, Chicago, 1933. Many Denver and other civic organizations, knowing that 32 or more other states were to have official exhibits, believed that Colorado's non-appearance would be detrimental to its industrial welfare.
About $60,000 was estimated to be necessary to assure proper representation and only about 30 days then remained in which to raise it. A plan to produce and sell "Colorado Dollars" was devised and adopted by Colorado Century of Progress Commission to accomplish this objective.
On Feb. 1, 1933, Commission announced that one-ounce discs of pure silver would be sold at $1 each, silver costing but 28 cents an ounce at that time. Next day Gov. Ed C. Johnson of Colorado purchased first token and general sale was started throughout state. The discs were advertised and sold elsewhere by Colorado State Board of Immigration, Denver, for $1.25 each.
Planchets were made by Sachs-Lawlor Co., Denver. The H. H. Tammen Co., also of Denver, struck the pieces. First three types have incuse letters and figures. Type IV is embossed.