1883 Bronze Medal GW-1014, R.E. Lee Camp No.1

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,440 MS66 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1883 medal GW-1014 in bronze commemorates the R.E. Lee Camp No. 1, a Confederate veterans' organization that participated in or was referenced during the 1883 commemorations. The R.E. Lee Camp was one of the largest Confederate veterans' camps in the post-war South, named after the Confederate commanding general. The appearance of a Confederate veterans' organization on a Washington medal reflects the complex dynamics of Reconstruction-era reconciliation. By 1883, both Union and Confederate veterans increasingly sought common ground through shared reverence for the founding fathers, using Washington as a unifying figure who transcended the sectional divide. Bronze composition indicates standard commemorative production. The R.E. Lee Camp medal is an unusual entry in the Washingtoniana series, documenting the role of Washington's memory in post-Civil War reconciliation.

Rarity Notes

Bronze. R.E. Lee Camp No. 1 medal. Unusual intersection of Washingtoniana and Confederate memorabilia.

Cross References

Musante-Baker GW-1014; PCGS #785441; R.E. Lee Camp No. 1