(1844) Medalet DeWitt HC-1844-32 Brass Henry Clay

Coin Details

Description

This small brass medalet for Henry Clay is cataloged as DeWitt HC-1844-32, indicating it is one of the higher-numbered varieties in the extensive 1844 Clay campaign series. Medalets — smaller than standard medals, typically under 25mm in diameter — were designed to be worn on clothing or carried in a pocket as expressions of political loyalty. Their diminutive size made them affordable and portable, allowing supporters to display their allegiance throughout the campaign season. Clay's 1844 campaign was notable for its attempt to establish a professional party organization capable of competing with the Democratic machine, and the production of numerous medalet varieties was part of this broader organizational effort. The brass composition provided durability for daily wear while keeping production costs low enough for mass distribution. Henry Clay's career spanned four decades of American political life — he served as Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, and U.S. Senator, and his American System of protective tariffs, internal improvements, and a national bank defined the Whig Party's economic platform. His repeated failures to win the presidency despite his enormous influence earned him the bittersweet title "The Great Compromiser."

Rarity Notes

Brass medalet from 1844. DeWitt HC-1844-32. Smaller format pieces are less commonly preserved than full-size medals. The high DeWitt number indicates this is one of the later-cataloged varieties in the 1844 Clay series.

Cross References

PCGS #811658; DeWitt HC-1844-32; 1844 Presidential Election; Henry Clay medalet