1892-93 Medal Elgit-55 Bronze World's Columbian Expo

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS64BN 11-09-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This bronze medal dated 1892-93, listed as Elgit-55, is the base-metal companion to the aluminum version of the same design produced for the World's Columbian Exposition. Bronze was the workhorse metal of the 19th-century medal industry — affordable, durable, and capable of reproducing fine design details with excellent fidelity. The vast majority of Columbian Exposition commemorative medals were struck in bronze or its close relatives, making bronze pieces the backbone of any WCE medal collection. The 1892-93 dual date on this Elgit-55 bronze medal indicates production during the broader Columbian celebration period. The fair's official title — World's Columbian Exposition — deliberately invoked the explorer's name, and the entire event was conceived as a national tribute to the moment of European discovery. The dual-dated pieces serve as a reminder that the Columbian anniversary was a multi-year cultural phenomenon, not merely a six-month fair. Bronze medals of this type were retailed at modest prices through vendors on the fairgrounds, in nearby hotels and shops, and through mail-order catalogs. The durability of bronze has ensured that many examples survive in collectible condition over 130 years later, making pieces like this Elgit-55 among the more accessible entry points for collectors interested in the World's Columbian Exposition medal series.

Rarity Notes

Common WCE medal type. Bronze is the most frequently encountered composition for Elgit-55, and surviving examples are readily available. Pieces with original red-brown luster are more desirable than cleaned or corroded specimens.

Cross References

Eglit-55 (also spelled Elgit-55); PCGS #598877