(1861) Medal DeWitt C-1861-5 Brass Gallery of American Traitors

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,080 MS63 06-17-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This brass medal from 1861, cataloged as DeWitt C-1861-5, is titled "Gallery of American Traitors" and represents a Northern propaganda piece produced during the secession crisis. The "Gallery of Traitors" theme was a popular satirical format in Union propaganda, featuring portraits or caricatures of prominent secessionists and Confederate leaders with mocking inscriptions. These medals served as expressions of Northern outrage at what was viewed as treason against the United States, and their production reflects the intense political passions of the early Civil War period. The "C" prefix in the DeWitt catalog number stands for "Civil War" rather than a candidate's name, indicating that this piece is classified as a political medal rather than a campaign token for a specific candidate. The brass composition was standard for political tokens of the era. The "Gallery of Traitors" medals are among the most interesting artifacts of Civil War-era political culture, documenting how Northerners processed the shock of secession and channeled their anger into material objects that could be displayed, shared, and discussed.

Rarity Notes

Brass political medal from 1861. DeWitt C-1861-5. "Gallery of American Traitors" propaganda piece. Civil War political medals are actively collected as wartime artifacts.

Cross References

PCGS #886450; DeWitt C-1861-5; Civil War propaganda; "Gallery of American Traitors"