(1852) Token WS1852-12 Silvered Brass Winfield Scott Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This silvered brass campaign token cataloged as WS 1852-12 was produced for the 1852 presidential campaign of General Winfield Scott, the Whig Party nominee who lost to Democrat Franklin Pierce. Scott, known as "Old Fuss and Feathers" for his insistence on military protocol, was one of the most accomplished American generals of the nineteenth century, having led the victorious campaign to Mexico City in the Mexican-American War. Despite his military credentials, Scott proved an ineffective campaigner and suffered one of the worst Whig defeats, carrying only four states. The silvered brass composition gave this token a more prestigious silver-like appearance, distinguishing it from ordinary brass campaign pieces. Silvering was achieved by applying a thin coating of mercury-silver amalgam to the brass planchet, a technique commonly used by die sinkers and medal makers of the period. The WS 1852-12 catalog number places this among a relatively small series of Scott campaign tokens — far fewer varieties exist than for the Harrison or Lincoln campaigns, reflecting Scott's less enthusiastic reception by the electorate. The 1852 election was the last presidential contest for the Whig Party, which dissolved by 1856 over the slavery issue, making Scott campaign tokens the final chapter in Whig political numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Winfield Scott 1852 campaign tokens are scarcer than Harrison or Lincoln tokens due to smaller production runs and less public enthusiasm. Silvered examples with original surface are particularly desirable.

Cross References

PCGS #617004; WS 1852-12 (DeWitt-Sullivan); Winfield Scott 1852 presidential campaign; last Whig nominee