1861 Token DeWitt-C-1861-13 Brass Jefferson Davis

Coin Details

Description

This brass political token from 1861, cataloged as DeWitt C-1861-13, features Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. Davis tokens produced in 1861 could represent either Confederate sympathy or Northern satire — many political tokens bearing Confederate leaders' images were produced by Northern die-sinkers as satirical pieces, with the reverse often containing mocking or derogatory inscriptions. The ambiguity of intent is part of what makes Civil War-era political tokens fascinating to collectors and historians. Davis was inaugurated as provisional president of the Confederacy on February 18, 1861 in Montgomery, Alabama, and was elected to a full six-year term in November 1861. His image appeared on various medallic pieces during the war, though Confederate medal production was minimal compared to the Union's prolific output. This brass token's Northern or Southern origin would depend on the reverse inscription and the identity of the die-sinker, information that the DeWitt catalog may or may not specify for this variety. Either way, it documents the political material culture of America's most traumatic conflict.

Rarity Notes

Brass political token from 1861. DeWitt C-1861-13. Jefferson Davis theme. May be Northern satirical or Southern sympathetic. Civil War Davis tokens are scarce.

Cross References

PCGS #680584; DeWitt C-1861-13; Civil War; Jefferson Davis; Confederate political material