Washington Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. Charleston World's Fair award coin

Object/Artifact

National Building Arts Center

Front of Washington HPB World's Fair award coin

Front view of a bronze award coin from the 1901-02 South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition, with an image of a seated goddess/allegory holding a staff and a miniature ship, surrounded by greenery

Name/Title

Washington Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. Charleston World's Fair award coin

Description

A bronze award coin from the 1901-02 South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition, held in Charleston, South Carolina with an image of a seated goddess/allegory holding a staff and a miniature ship, surrounded by greenery. The back of the coin denotes the recipient of the award, the Washington Hydraulic-Press Brick Co., which is surrounded by volutes and sprigs of ferns and/or feathers.

Use

The coin would have been awarded to representatives of the Washington Hydraulic-Press Brick Co. for their exhibits in or contribution to the South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition (AKA the Charleston World's Fair). It is likely that the coin would have been awarded during or directly after the duration of the World's Fair.

Collection

Promotional object displays

Made/Created

Manufacturer

Gorham Manufacturing Company

Date made

circa Dec 1, 1901 - circa Jun 20, 1902

Time Period

20th Century

Notes

The coin was manufactured by Gorham Manufacturing Co., which built the world's largest bronze-casting foundry by 1890 and fully moved away from manufacturing only fine silver to manufacturing other metals like bronze. As this was awarded during or directly after the Charleston World's Fair, we can assume that the coin would have been manufactured sometime before or during 1901 or 1902. The dates noted above are the dates for the South Carolina Inter-State and West Indian Exposition. The coin also could have been manufactured in South Carolina, or at Gorham Co.'s foundry, which was located in Providence, Rhode Island.

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Makers Mark

Location

Bottom edge of coin

Transcription

"Gorham Co." "Bronze"

Language

English

Material/Technique

Inscribed

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Coin, Commemorative

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Commemorative

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Award

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Memorabilia

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Achievement Symbols

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Class

Personal Symbols

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Getty AAT

Concept

metal

Dimensions

Diameter

6.3 cm

Parts

Count

Parts

Coin

Material

Bronze

Color

Gold

Condition

Overall Condition

Excellent

Date Examined

Jul 22, 2026

Examined By

Elena Marshall

Surface

Surface is in excellent condition, almost looks brand new. There is slight tarnishing around the edges of the faces of the coin, but remains a bright gold color.

Research Notes

Web Links and URLs

Article discussing the history of the Gorham Manufacturing Co.

Notes

"By 1890 Gorham had built the world's largest bronze-casting foundry"

Create Date

July 22, 2026

Update Date

July 22, 2026