Seattle Expo Souvenir

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While gathering Alaska-related items to display at the 1905 Lewis and Clark Exposition, Godfrey Chealander, who at the time was living in Alaska, started thinking about a more permanent exhibit to showcase Alaska’s resources. Later that year, he met with members of Seattle’s Chamber of Commerce to discuss his idea, and in 1906 the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition Company was incorporated. The original thought was to stage the event in 1907, but the date was moved to 1909 to avoid conflicting with the Jamestown Exposition held that year. In retrospect, considering the financial panic of 1907, this proved to be a good decision.

Seattle Fair

The Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (AYPE) opened in Seattle on June 1 and continued until October 16. During that time, nearly four million people passed through its gates. Visitors were treated to the expected historical and educational exhibits, and numerous booths offered food to tantalize any palate, but as you’ll see, there was a much lighter side to the exposition.

At world’s fairs and expositions, the midway was a separate area where carnival rides, food concessions, and entertainment and amusement events were located. The AYPE midway was called the Pay Streak, and it was one of the most popular features of the exposition. It was advertised to include “a mile and a quarter of amusements! One hundred and thirty-eight concessions granted.” It was described in a pamphlet as the place “where everything that is amusing, grotesque, hilarious, foolish, novel and absurd is foisted and intoned, where all that ingenuity can devise, skill project, or daring accomplish is brought for the diversion of a summer’s day.”

Pay Street Attractions

Among the numerous attractions were a Ferris Wheel, a carousel, glass-blowing demonstrations, a scenic railway, pony rides, a palm reader, and an Eskimo Village. There was also a Dixieland band and a Spanish theatre, and, surprising as it may seem considering the fact that it took place 3,000 miles from Seattle, a reenactment of the famous Civil War naval battle between the Confederate ironclad Merrimack and the Union Monitor.

An article headlined “Vice Admiral Ijichi Sees Monitor-Merrimac Fight” in the June 6 Seattle Post-Intelligencer relates that the Japanese admiral and members of his staff were treated to a special production of the battle, which he had learned about while visiting the Japanese Village exhibit. After the performance, Ijichi commented that “it was almost like real war” and “almost as stirring as any that I have seen of real battle.” Hearing this, an invitation was extended to all members of the Japanese fleet for a later performance.

The naval battle proved to be very popular with visitors, and it generated nearly $140,000 in receipts. E.W. McConnell, whose company staged the event, was also in charge of another Civil War attraction—a reenactment of the Battle of Gettysburg. Both of these attractions had previously been featured two years earlier at the Jamestown Ter-Centennial Exposition.

Unusual Souvenir

Numerous tokens and medals were produced  in conjunction with the AYPE, including a 3-inch award medal. The official medal was engraved by George T. Morgan, famous for such popular coins as his namesake Morgan dollar and the reverse of the Columbian Exposition half dollar. The official medals were struck at the U.S. Mint exhibit, while the concession for its sale was awarded to Joseph Mayer and Brothers, a Seattle firm that advertised the sale of “trade checks, badges, and medals for conventions, fairs and souvenirs.” Because of its 32mm size, the official medal is among the 23 AYPE pieces cataloged by Jeff Shevlin and William D. Hyder in So-Called Dollars, Volume 1: United States Expositions, a reference that belongs in the library of every medal collector.

One of the more unusual numismatic items emanating from the AYPE is a 32mm copper token (shown on the previous page) with GOOD FOR/“PAY STREAK”/ALASKA-YUKON/PACIFIC/ EXPOSITION/1909. on its obverse. The die-sinker’s signature, THE WHITEHEAD & HOAG CO. NEWARK, N.J., is in tiny letters at the bottom. On the reverse, GREETINGS is at the top with SEATTLE ALUMNI at the bottom. The three Greek letters in the center represent D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery).

Delta Sigma Delta

Seven dental students in Ann Arbor, Michigan, established the Delta Sigma Delta fraternity in November 1882. The organization has grown to 75 chapters worldwide, “with the common goal of promoting excellence in the dental profession.” The fraternity’s alumni were well represented at the AYPE, and July 24 was designated Delta Sigma Delta Day. About 40 members are pictured in a group photograph (shown) taken during the Alaska-Yukon- Pacific Exposition. 

Considering the fact that the number of fraternity members attending AYPE was undoubtedly small, it would be interesting to know why the token was issued. Its inscription tells us it was good for admission to the Pay Streak, but paper tickets would have been a lot less expensive. Perhaps the intent was to provide members with an unusual souvenir of the exposition. If so, they succeeded, and in the process, provided future generations of numismatists with a scarce collectible.

I welcome readers’ comments. Write to me at P.O. Box 2866, La Plata, MD 20646. If a reply is desired, please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope. 

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A version of this article appears in the September 2026 issue of The Numismatist (money.org)