1861 Silver Medal DeWitt C-1861-2, United South

Coin Details

Auction Record

$6,600 XF Details 08-23-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

This silver medal from 1861, cataloged as DeWitt C-1861-2, bears the inscription "United South" and represents a Confederate or Southern sympathizer political piece from the early secession period. The silver composition indicates a premium production, for wealthy Southern supporters of secession who wanted a tangible symbol of their political convictions. The "United South" motto encapsulated the secessionist argument that the Southern states were acting in concert to defend their constitutional rights against Northern aggression. Silver political medals from the Confederacy and its supporters are extremely scarce, as the South's limited industrial capacity was devoted to military needs rather than medallic production. Most surviving Confederate-sympathy medals were produced in the North by commercial die-sinkers who recognized a market opportunity, or in England where Southern agents commissioned propaganda materials. The DeWitt C-1861-2 designation places this among the earliest Civil War-era political medals cataloged. This piece is of significant historical interest as an artifact of the secessionist movement and a rare example of proslavery political material culture.

Rarity Notes

Silver political medal from 1861. DeWitt C-1861-2. "United South" Confederate/secessionist theme. Silver composition is very rare for Civil War political medals. Highly prized by collectors.

Cross References

PCGS #928266; DeWitt C-1861-2; Civil War; "United South"; secessionist medal