1868 Medal DeWitt USG 1868-23 White Metal Grant & Colfax Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This white metal campaign medal for the Grant & Colfax ticket from the 1868 election is cataloged as DeWitt USG 1868-23, the white metal variant of the brass piece (PCGS #653292). White metal was the standard affordable composition for mass-distribution campaign items, allowing the Grant campaign to reach supporters at all economic levels. The 1868 election was the first presidential contest in which African American men voted in significant numbers, as the Fifteenth Amendment was not yet ratified but several Southern states under military reconstruction allowed Black suffrage. Grant received nearly unanimous support from Black voters, establishing a bond between African Americans and the Republican Party that would persist for decades. Campaign medals and tokens served as important tools for mobilizing this new electorate, as many newly enfranchised voters lacked experience with electoral politics and responded to tangible symbols of candidate support. This white metal Grant-Colfax medal documents the material culture of this transformative election.

Rarity Notes

White metal campaign medal from 1868. DeWitt USG 1868-23. Mass-distribution variant. The 1868 election was transformative for African American political participation.

Cross References

PCGS #970862; DeWitt USG 1868-23 (white metal); 1868 Presidential Election; U.S. Grant