(1856) Token DeWitt JB-1856-11 Brass PE James Buchanan Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This 1856 brass campaign token with plain edge, cataloged as DeWitt JB-1856-11, was produced for James Buchanan's presidential campaign on the Democratic ticket. Buchanan (1791-1868), a Pennsylvania politician who had served as Secretary of State under James K. Polk and Minister to Great Britain, won the 1856 election by carrying the solid South plus several northern states, defeating both Fremont and Fillmore. The obverse features Buchanan's portrait with campaign inscriptions identifying the Democratic nominee. The reverse carries party slogans and patriotic imagery promoting the Democratic platform of popular sovereignty on the slavery question — the position that territorial residents should decide the slavery issue for themselves. Brass tokens with the "PE" (plain edge) designation were mass-produced for distribution among party faithful, serving as wearable symbols of political allegiance in an era when elections were public spectacles accompanied by torchlight parades, mass rallies, and enthusiastic display of partisan material culture. Buchanan's presidency would prove disastrous, as his inability to resolve the slavery crisis contributed directly to the secession of southern states.

Rarity Notes

DeWitt JB-1856-11. Brass with plain edge. Buchanan campaign tokens survive in moderate numbers. Democratic Party tokens from 1856 are collected alongside Fremont and Fillmore pieces.

Cross References

PCGS #934117; DeWitt JB-1856-11; 1856 Presidential Election; Democratic Party