Brooch of gold with inset diamond, holding a removable iron nail. Brooch consists of an oval form depicting a Montana landscape, flanked by figures of a miner and a farmer, with the words ORO Y PLATA inscribed below.
This brooch was given to Mrs. Palmer to commemorate the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Its inscription, Oro y Plata, is the state motto for Montana. The nail contained within the pin was the final nail used in construction of the Exposition's Woman's Building.
Curatorial Statement
This brooch holds the last nail hammered into the Women's Building. A gift from a member of the Board of Lady Managers from Montana, the brooch is made from the state's metals and gems and is said to be a perfect model of the state's seal.
