-40%
Vintage Golden Gate International Exposition Aluminum Token, 1939
$ 5.25
- Description
- Size Guide
Description
The Golden Gate International Exposition, held at San Francisco's Treasure Island, was a World's Fair celebrating, among other things, the city's two newly built bridges. The San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge opened in 1936 and the Golden Gate Bridge in 1937. The exposition opened from February 18, 1939, through October 29, 1939, and from May 25, 1940, through September 29, 1940.Treasure Island, a flat, geometrically shaped, artificial island attached to Yerba Buena Island, was built for the Exposition near where the Oakland span and the San Francisco span of the Bay Bridge join. Built by the federal government, Treasure Island was intended to serve as the municipal airport for San Francisco, an idea which had first been advanced in 1931. Due to wartime needs, it was taken over by the US Navy as Naval Station Treasure Island from 1941 to 1997.
This token is made of aluminum, and appears to be a joint issue by the Union Pacific Railroad and the Aluminum Company of America. It is 1-1/4" in diameter.
The obverse of the token features a silhouette of the Oakland Bay Bridge, the Exposition Tower, and a rising sun. Around the perimeter is: "Golden Gate International Exposition".
The reverse of the token has "Road of the Streamliners and the Challengers, Union Pacific" around the perimeter. In the center are images of the Streamliner and Challenger engines. The Streamliner was a streamlined light-weight diesel-electric passenger locomotive that was introduced in 1934. The Challenger was a huge articulated 4-6-6-4 steam locomotive that was introduced in 1936. It was nearly 122 feet long and weighed more than a million pounds. Between those two images is the Union Pacific shield with "Union Pacific the Overland Route" on it. Below the shield is the text: "Aluminum in These Trains Furnished by Aluminum Company of America".
This token has been stored since it was obtained at the Golden Gate Exposition in 1939. It is, effectively, in new condition. It has no scratches or other blemishes. Please see the photos, but they do not do the token justice because of reflections.