1864 Gilt Medal GW-672, Great Central Fair

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,200 MS65 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1864 medal GW-672 in gilt commemorates the Great Central Fair held in Philadelphia in June 1864. The Great Central Fair was one of the largest Sanitary Fairs organized during the Civil War to raise money for the United States Sanitary Commission, which provided medical care and supplies to Union soldiers. The fair occupied a massive purpose-built structure on Logan Square and raised over one million dollars. The gilt finish — a thin coating of gold-colored material applied to a base metal medal — elevated this fair souvenir to a premium tier. Gilt medals were typically produced in smaller quantities and sold at higher prices, with proceeds benefiting the Sanitary Commission's humanitarian mission. Washington's portrait on a Sanitary Fair medal connected the charitable effort to the nation's founding principles. The Great Central Fair featured extensive historical exhibits, and Washington's legacy was prominently invoked as a reminder of what the Union was fighting to preserve.

Rarity Notes

Gilt finish. Great Central Fair medals in gilt are less common than bronze or white metal. Sanitary Fair medals are an important collecting category.

Cross References

Musante-Baker GW-672; PCGS #785214; Great Central Fair, Philadelphia 1864