(1852) Token DeWitt FP 1852-1 White Metal General F. Pierce Campaign

Coin Details

Auction Record

$825 MS62 03-02-2020 Kagin's

Description

This white metal campaign token for General Franklin Pierce, cataloged as DeWitt FP 1852-1, is the first cataloged variety in the Pierce 1852 campaign series. Pierce's campaign emphasized his military service in the Mexican-American War, where he served as a brigadier general — though his actual combat record was marred by a knee injury at Contreras and a fainting episode at Churubusco that his opponents mocked. The "General F. Pierce" title on this token reflects the campaign's effort to present Pierce as a military hero in the tradition of Jackson, Harrison, and Taylor. The white metal composition was standard for mass-distribution campaign tokens. Pierce's 1852 campaign promised to enforce the Compromise of 1850, including the controversial Fugitive Slave Act, positioning him as a Northern Democrat with Southern sympathies — a stance that won him the election but alienated the growing antislavery movement. The DeWitt FP 1852-1 designation as the first cataloged variety indicates this was a widely produced type, though Pierce campaign material overall is less abundant than that of more popular candidates from adjacent elections.

Rarity Notes

White metal campaign token from 1852. DeWitt FP 1852-1. First cataloged type in the Pierce series. Pierce campaign items are collected as part of the comprehensive 1852 election material.

Cross References

PCGS #653285; DeWitt FP 1852-1; 1852 Presidential Election; Franklin Pierce; Mexican-American War