This souvenir gold piece was the first commemorative coin of its denomination. The obverse shows Columbia with a caduceus in her left hand seated on a hippocampus typifying the use of the Panama Canal. The reverse of the gold coin bears an American Eagle with raised wings. The Act of January 16, 1915 specified a maximum of 10,000 to be coined. Out of the 10,000, only 6,749 were sold and the other 3,251 went back to the mint for re-melting. Proofs may have been made with or without the "S" mintmark, but to date the single brilliant proof without the mintmark has not been verified. Trial impressions of obverse without the mintmark are known to be in copper and brass.

Gold Commemorative Page / Reference Library