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

Coin Details

Description

This brass campaign token for Martin Van Buren from the 1840 election, cataloged as DeWitt MVB 1840-9, represents the same die variety as PCGS #919102 but without the hole. Unholed examples of 1840 campaign tokens are generally considered more desirable by collectors, as they represent pieces that were preserved rather than worn during the campaign. The distinction between holed and unholed examples of the same DeWitt variety reflects the dual nature of campaign tokens as both political propaganda and collectible objects — some recipients wore them as partisan badges while others kept them as curiosities or souvenirs. Van Buren's 1840 campaign produced far fewer token varieties than Harrison's, making each surviving Van Buren piece proportionally more significant for understanding the material culture of the defeated side. The Democratic Party's relative disadvantage in campaign material production during 1840 was partly a function of organizational weakness and partly a strategic choice — Democrats had traditionally relied more on newspaper editorials and party organization than on trinkets and spectacle. The Whigs' success in 1840 demonstrated that the Democrats would need to adapt their approach, and subsequent Democratic campaigns invested more heavily in medallic campaign material.

Rarity Notes

Brass campaign token from 1840. DeWitt MVB 1840-9, unholed. Unholed examples of Van Buren 1840 tokens are scarce and generally preferred by collectors over holed specimens.

Cross References

PCGS #826068; DeWitt MVB 1840-9; 1840 Presidential Election; Martin Van Buren