(1868) Medal DeWitt USG 1868-32 Stk Over 1850 1C General U.S. Grant Campaign

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 MS66BN 08-11-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

This remarkable campaign medal for General U.S. Grant from the 1868 election is cataloged as DeWitt USG 1868-32 and bears the extraordinary notation "Stk Over 1850 1C" — indicating it was struck over an 1850 large cent. The practice of overstrike — striking a new design over an existing coin — was occasionally used by campaign token makers who found it more economical to use existing planchets than to produce new blank discs. An overstruck large cent retains traces of the original coin design beneath the new campaign token impression, creating a numismatic hybrid of great interest to specialists. The 1850 large cent would have provided a copper planchet of appropriate size and weight for a campaign token, and the traces of the original Braided Hair design visible beneath Grant's portrait add a fascinating visual dimension. Overstruck campaign tokens are among the most intriguing pieces in American political numismatics, as they combine the study of coin production, token manufacturing, and political campaign history in a single artifact. This Grant medal struck over a sixteen-year-old cent documents the resourceful economy of Civil War-era token production.

Rarity Notes

Campaign medal from 1868 struck over 1850 large cent. DeWitt USG 1868-32. Overstruck pieces are extremely scarce and prized for their dual numismatic interest.

Cross References

PCGS #823440; DeWitt USG 1868-32; 1868 Presidential Election; U.S. Grant; overstruck on 1850 1C