$1,000,000 Silver Dollar Display : Seattle World's Fair 1962

V.F. Seattle. Expositions. Century 21. Municipal Reference Library Branch of Seattle Public Library 508A County-City Building Seattle 4, Wash. $1,000,000 Silver Dollar Display . . . SEATTLE WORLD'S FAIR 1962 Are You a numismatist and don't know it? Your presence here shows definite tendencies. But fear not, there are thousands like you. Coins have fascinated Man through the ages. Numismatics is the science of coins, medals, and tokens. The term "coin-collector" hardly does justice to the scientific and historical knowledge required of a true numismatist. Have You the slightest notion of what is involved in handling one million silver dollars? At the Philadelphia mint, counting by machine, it took one man eighteen days. Their total weight is approximately 60,000 lbs., or 30 tons, depending on the wear of the coins. The interest for the six months it is tied up on exhibit at the Fair is breath-taking. Thirty thousand dollars! This is high finance, and it required numerous government and banking leaders, as well as many private business concerns to make this educational exhibit possible. The Silver Dollar is part of Americana. An interesting, behindthe-scenes look at this unique exhibit. What a far cry from the days when silver dollars (or "cartwheels" as they were called because of their size) changed hands almost too easily. At the point of a roadside bandit's pistol, or over the whisky-stained gaming table of Lost Creek Saloon. "Cartwheels" paved the way West. They were there when the Irish immigrants sliced across the prairies laying railroad tracks. Silver dollars were the monthly reward for stringing humming telegraph wires over towering mountains. And, not too oddly, they spelled nightly fun in the silver and gold mining towns of Nevada and Colorado.

The twelve day "million dollar haul" from coast-to-coast was a complex of logistics. The caravan was designed for maximum security around the two tractor-trailers carrying the silver cargo. Outriding passenger cars in front and back carried state police, armed guards, and private detectives. But the silver dollar has had its ups and downs in our nation's monetary system. The first monetary system established by Congress in 1792 adopted a gold dollar (24.75 grains pure gold) and a silver dollar (371.25 grains pure silver). A ratio was set of one ounce of gold being equal in value to fifteen ounces of silver. This ratio was revised twice in the 1830's. The value of silver in the late 1800's took a nosedive, and by the Act of 1873, Congress discontinued coining silver dollars. This so aroused the western silver producers that Congress reversed itself in the Bland-Allison Act of 1879. But now the silver dollar became only a "token" coin. The silver content was of less actual value than the money valuation stamped on the coin. The last silver dollars were minted in 1935 and contain 412.5 grains of silver, nine-tenths fine. They have the same characteristics of all U. S. coins. Strike against a hard surface and the dollar gives a bell-like ring. The metal content makes them hard and durable, almost impossible to cut with an ordinary tool, such as a knife. Counterfeit coins are generally easy to cut because of the softer, cheaper metals. The outer rim of the dollar is slightly raised to protect the inner design from wear and to make it easy to stack into piles. To put one million of these genuine American antiques on public view, the Seattle World's Fair officials, in October, called in three noted Walla Walla numismatists (Barnard Tomlinson, Vernon Bosley, Lawrence McBride), and turned the project over to them. They formed Northwest Historical Medals, Inc., and in addition, they were given the exclusive contract to design and distribute the nine official souvenir World's Fair medallions (each commemorating a Fair highlight such as the Space Needle, Monorail, $1,000,000 Display, etc.). A / The $1,000,000 Display is one of the nine leading Fair exhibits to be honored on the obverse of an official World's Fair medallion. See other side for additional information. In the concentration to get the medallions ready for the April 21st Fair opening, the $1,000,000 Display w. s left to last. Not until January did the three coin authorities go prospecting for one million dollars. It Was a chance steel building advertisement in a magazine that directed Mr. Tomlinson to the Behlen Manufacturing Company, Columbus, Nebr. His inquiry relayed to Walter D. Behlen, president, said in essence: "Your steel building looks like it could hold a million silver dollars. Do you want to furnish the building and the million dollars?" The startling proposition had a certain appeal to Mr. Behlen. He discussed it with brothers Gilbert and Herbert, and father, Fred, fellow company officers. Between them they had skyrocketed a steel fabricating firm in a few short years to become one of Nebraska's leading manufacturers. The answer: affirmative. Columbus, Nebr., population 13,000, located 85 miles west of Omaha, was immediately plunged into the expectant nervous tension of Hollywood. The Behlen factory became harried, skitterish, like any producer's office. Executives were dispatched to Seattle. Phone calls were placed with the Treasury Department. Questions were raised on the propriety of such a display. It might be interpreted as frivolous or commercial. Columbus banker and Nebraska State Senator, J. O. Peck, hurriedly telephoned U. S. Senator Carl T. Curtis of Nebraska requesting that he point out to Treasury officials the educational value of such a coin exhibit. Senator Curtis won the support of Miss Eva B. Adams, Director of the Mint, and arrangements were made for the Treasury Department to sell the Behlen Manufacturing Company one million silver dollars. Behlen designers labored around the clock creating a Century 21 steel building with their unique deep-corrugated panel system to house the exhibit. Plans Were laid to pick up the money at the Philadelphia mint rather than in Denver. The cross-country trip would help publicize the Seattle Fair, and towns along the way would get a preview. First came the selection of the vehicles to haul the costly 30-ton cargo. The Behlen Transportation Manager recommended use of two tractor-trailer units. They had to be big and rugged for the 3,290 miles ahead. Miles varying from high speed turnpike driving to low gear mountainous hairpin curves. And the tractortrailers had to deliver! Break-downs could be costly, $1,000,000. Taking no chances, Chevrolet Truck headquarters in Detroit were contacted and asked for the best tractor available. Immediately designated were their new Chevrolet Cab-over Engine Diesels, and two were leased on the spot. Next, Trailmobile Inc., Cincinnati, one of the leading automotive trailer manufacturers in the country, was given the million dollar hauling problem. Their answer, two of their 40-ft. series 70 Model C Vans. Protection during the transporting of the coins from Philadelphia to Seattle posed a different set of problems. While Silver dollars are "token" coins the fact remains that melted down into silver bars they are valued in the neighborhood of 92 cents to the dollar. The Brinks Robbery in Boston might give some petty crooks grandiose ideas. The possibility of hijackers had to be carefully weighed.

This modern functional Behlen Frameless Steel Building houses valuable, historic silver. Dimensions are 28* x 47' x 30' high. The Pinkerton Agency was placed in charge of working out the security strategy, and the far-from-routine insurance assignment was turned over to The Hartford Insurance Group. Six men were detailed by Pinkerton to travel with the money constantly. In addition, Pinkerton offices near the nightly stopovers would supply extra local protection. Too, all state and city police along the route were queried in advance, and all promised fullest cooperation. PHILADELPHIA April 5 The Hartford Group headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut, put their many years experience to work analyzing all possible hazards. The cost of such an unusual policy was determined by numerous conditions, the number of armed guards, the proximity of the general public to the money at any one time, etc. CHEVROLET BEHLEN Cross-section of American business and industry cooperated to safely transport the one million silver dollars, Philadelphia to Seattle. The insurance office considered that the silver dollars would be carried in the trailers in large, steel "strong boxes," welded shut. This was in case a trailer should overturn, loose silver dollars would not be strewn over the landscape. The Behlen production staff made four 4' wide x 7' long x 3' deep heavy gauge boxes of V4" steel. Each would hold 250,000 silver dollars or 7 1/2 tons. Plans called for two such steel chests in each trailer, bolted tightly to the floor above each trailer axle.

At the Fair itself, during the six months the $1,000,000 is on exhibit, Hartford Insurance and Pinkerton will maintain an ever-alert interest in the display. To expand the protection and lessen the chance of human carelessness, a ring of "electric eyes" will provide an invisible wall to safeguard the coins. Any object, human or otherwise, penetrating the "wall" will immediately set off an alarm that will be a signal to seal all exit gates from the Fairgrounds. The Behlen steel building containing the money is almost a "strongbox" in itself. It is this very same Behlen panel system that withstood an A-bomb blast in the civil defense tests of May, 1955, at Yucca Flats, Nevada. This same Behlen principle of construction is used for schools, factories, warehouses, shopping centers, etc., and just recently for community and family blast-resistant/fallout shelters. What manner of company can leap into numismatology on a million dollar scale, and mix it with the highly competitive business of manufacturing and selling farm grain storage tanks, corn cribs and steel buildings? The Behlen ManufacturSteel structures of the Behlen company dot Rural America. From left, grain storage tank, Curvet building, and bar mesh corn crib. ing Company is as singularly American as the silver dollar they are displaying. As personified by the three Behlen brothers and their father, it is a vigorous, going concern. Confidence permeates the plant. Confidence in their company, confidence in America, and confidence in the capitalistic system. Their, success story dropped by airplane over Russia would shake the most ardent Comrade and State-Planner. You perhaps have read of their unique business fortunes in Time, Fortune, or Reader's Digest in recent years. One problem still confronts the numismatic Behlens: What to do with the one million coins in October when the Fair is over? Maybe you have a good suggestion. Official World's Fair Commemorative Medals SPECIAL FOR FAIR VISITORS! Handy mementos of the Fair for each member of the family. On sale at the $1,000,000 Display, a set of three official World's Fair medallions commemorating each, the Space Needle, Monorail, and $1,000,000 Display. Price, 50c apiece. Reverse of the authorized World's Fair medallion with the official Century 21 Exposition symbol. Available for purchase only at the $1,000,000 Display is the commemorative set of nine pure silver medallions, high relief, so greatly esteemed by coin and medal collectors throughout the world. Price is $112.50 per set, including the official World's Fair Medal Album. Original issue, 15,000 sets. It is by authorization of Congress that these medallions were struck. A complete set will be presented to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C, and exhibited to the public. The Smithsonian requested this privilege. A solid bronze medallion set is also available at $28.50 per set, including the official World's Fair Medal Album. Northwest Historical Medals, Inc., headquartered at the $1,000,000 Display, is the official numismatic exhibitor and representative of Century 21 Exposition. It has been granted the sole striking privilege and distribution of all the official souvenir medals and medallic art.

Million Dollar Facts One million silver dollars stacked would reach 8,800 ft. into the sky. Compare this to the Space Needle (600 ft.), the Eiffel Tower (984ft.), Empire State Building (1,250 ft.). Also, one mile is 5,280 ft.

Even by machine, it takes one man 18 days to count one million silver dollars. A million dollars would stack nicely in your living room where the baby grand piano stands. Total, 180 cu. ft. Weight is 30 tons. Edge to edge, one million silver dollars would extend 23 miles.