1876 Bronze Medal DeWitt RBH 1876-1 Campaign

Coin Details

Description

This bronze campaign medal for Rutherford B. Hayes from the 1876 presidential election is cataloged as DeWitt RBH 1876-1 and represents the first cataloged variety in the Hayes campaign series. The 1876 election between Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden produced one of the most disputed outcomes in American history — Tilden won the popular vote by roughly 250,000 votes, but the electoral results in Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon were contested. A special Electoral Commission awarded all disputed electoral votes to Hayes by 8-7 party-line votes, giving him a 185-184 Electoral College victory. The "Compromise of 1877" that resolved the crisis included the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction. This bronze medal documents the campaign that preceded this constitutional crisis. Hayes was a respectable but unexciting candidate — a three-term Ohio governor and Civil War veteran whose principal virtues were personal integrity and political moderation. The low DeWitt catalog number indicates this was a widely distributed variety.

Rarity Notes

Bronze campaign medal from 1876. DeWitt RBH 1876-1. First cataloged Hayes variety. The disputed 1876 election adds historical significance to campaign material from both sides.

Cross References

PCGS #940246; DeWitt RBH 1876-1; 1876 Presidential Election; Rutherford B. Hayes