1871 Medal Betram C-871-114a White Metal Robert E. Lee Tribute

Coin Details

Description

This 1871 white metal medal, cataloged as Bertram C-871-114a, pays tribute to Robert E. Lee, who died October 12, 1870. Lee was being transformed into an iconic "Lost Cause" figure in the years after the war. The Bertram catalog identifies Confederate medals. White metal ensured broad distribution among a Southern population still recovering economically. Lee's post-war career as president of Washington College and his dignified acceptance of defeat made him a complex figure. Medal iconography provides insight into how Americans have understood and represented their history, with evolving artistic conventions reflecting changing cultural values and aesthetic preferences across different eras. Institutional support for medal collecting through libraries, museums, and educational programs has helped establish these pieces as legitimate subjects for scholarly research alongside their traditional role as collectible objects. Lee tribute medals from the early 1870s document the beginning of the Confederate memorialization movement.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Bertram C-871-114a, white metal. Lee tribute medals from the immediate post-death period.

Cross References

PCGS #886419; Bertram C-871-114a; Robert E. Lee; Tribute; White Metal; 1871