1864 Medal DeWitt AL-1864-1 White Metal Lincoln - Johnson Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This white metal campaign medal for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket from the 1864 election is cataloged as DeWitt AL-1864-1 and represents the first cataloged variety in the Lincoln 1864 series. Andrew Johnson of Tennessee was selected as Lincoln's running mate on the National Union ticket — a fusion of Republicans and War Democrats designed to broaden the party's appeal during wartime. Johnson, a Democrat who had remained loyal to the Union when his state seceded, represented Lincoln's strategy of reaching across party lines to build a coalition focused on winning the war and preserving the Union. The white metal composition was standard for mass-distribution campaign items, and the AL-1864-1 designation as the first cataloged variety indicates this was a widely produced and commonly encountered type. The Lincoln-Johnson campaign material would acquire tragic significance after Lincoln's assassination on April 14, 1865, as Johnson inherited a presidency for which he was ill-prepared and whose Reconstruction policies would be repudiated by the radical wing of the party that had elected him. This medal documents the beginning of that fateful political partnership.

Rarity Notes

White metal campaign medal from 1864. DeWitt AL-1864-1. Lincoln-Johnson ticket. First cataloged type in the 1864 series. Moderate availability.

Cross References

PCGS #886438; DeWitt AL-1864-1; 1864 Presidential Election; Abraham Lincoln; Andrew Johnson