(1848) Token DeWitt ZT 1848-3 White Metal Major Genl. Z. Taylor Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This white metal campaign token for Major General Zachary Taylor from the 1848 presidential election is cataloged as DeWitt ZT 1848-3, placing it among the earlier-numbered varieties in the Taylor series. As an early catalog number, this piece represents one of the more widely distributed and commonly encountered Taylor 1848 types. The white metal composition was the standard affordable medium for mass-distribution campaign tokens, and its silvery appearance gave recipients an attractive keepsake at minimal cost. Taylor's 1848 campaign benefited from the lingering enthusiasm for military hero candidates that had driven Harrison's 1840 victory, and the Whig Party deliberately cultivated parallels between the two campaigns. Both featured generals with popular nicknames ("Old Tippecanoe" and "Old Rough and Ready"), both avoided policy specifics, and both produced substantial volumes of campaign memorabilia. However, the 1848 material culture was somewhat less extravagant than 1840's, partly because the novelty had worn off and partly because Taylor's reserved personality generated less natural enthusiasm than Harrison's folksy campaign persona. This token remains an accessible entry point for collectors interested in antebellum campaign material.

Rarity Notes

White metal campaign token from 1848. DeWitt ZT 1848-3. Low catalog number indicates wider production. Among the more available of the Taylor 1848 campaign varieties.

Cross References

PCGS #653284; DeWitt ZT 1848-3; 1848 Presidential Election; Zachary Taylor