(1860) Token DeWitt AL-1860-40 Silvered Brass Hartford Wide Awakes Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This 1860 silvered brass campaign token, cataloged as DeWitt AL-1860-40, is the premium silvered variant of the Hartford Wide-Awakes Lincoln campaign piece. The silvered finish — a thin coating of silver applied over brass — created an impressive white-metal appearance with the durability of the underlying brass substrate. Silvered brass tokens represented a middle ground between common base-metal pieces and genuine silver strikings, offering an attractive appearance at moderate cost. This variant would have been distributed to officers or prominent members of the Wide-Awake clubs rather than the general membership, serving as a mark of rank or special contribution within the organization. The Hartford Wide-Awakes movement fundamentally changed American political organizing by demonstrating that young voters could be mobilized through military-style drill and camaraderie combined with political activism. The silvered brass composition of this particular token marks it as a premium piece within the AL-1860-40 die family.

Rarity Notes

DeWitt AL-1860-40. Silvered brass — premium variant. Scarcer than plain brass or copper strikings. Silvering condition varies among surviving examples as the thin coating wears over time.

Cross References

PCGS #681782; DeWitt AL-1860-40 (silvered brass); 1860 Presidential Election; Hartford Wide-Awakes