1840 Token DeWitt MVB 1840-9 Brass Holed Martin Van Buren Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This holed brass campaign token for Martin Van Buren from the 1840 election is cataloged as DeWitt MVB 1840-9. The hole indicates this token was worn by a Van Buren supporter, a brave public statement given the overwhelming anti-Van Buren sentiment that characterized the 1840 campaign. The Whig campaign relentlessly attacked Van Buren as out of touch with ordinary Americans, coining nicknames like "Martin Van Ruin," "Sweet Sandy Whiskers," and "The Little Magician" to diminish his stature. Van Buren's inability to effectively counter the economic criticism — the Panic of 1837 had caused widespread unemployment and bank failures — doomed his re-election bid. This brass token with its holed condition and DeWitt MVB 1840-9 cataloging represents one of the scarcest categories in 1840 campaign material, as Democratic campaign production was dwarfed by the Whig output. The brass composition was standard for campaign tokens of this era, providing an attractive and durable medium at moderate cost. Van Buren remains one of the most underappreciated figures in American political history despite his pivotal role in creating the Democratic Party, establishing the spoils system, and professionalizing American political organization.

Rarity Notes

Holed brass campaign token from 1840. DeWitt MVB 1840-9. Scarce as a losing candidate's campaign piece. Van Buren 1840 tokens are significantly rarer than Harrison pieces from the same election.

Cross References

PCGS #919102; DeWitt MVB 1840-9; 1840 Presidential Election; Martin Van Buren