1892 Medal Eglit-98A Silver Christopher Columbus

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 SP63 06-16-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

This 1892 silver medal, cataloged as Eglit-98A, features Christopher Columbus and represents one of the more prestigious compositions available in this design from the World's Columbian Exposition series. Silver medals from the Columbian Exposition era were produced in far smaller quantities than their bronze, white metal, or aluminum counterparts, as the precious metal content significantly increased both production cost and retail price. The Columbus portrait on Eglit-98A joins hundreds of other Columbus-themed pieces in the WCE medal series. The Genoese explorer's image was the single most common motif across the entire range of Columbian Exposition souvenirs, appearing on medals, tokens, badges, pins, and printed ephemera in seemingly endless variety. The "A" suffix in the Eglit catalog number indicates a specific die variety or compositional variant within the broader Eglit-98 design group. Silver Columbus portrait medals appeal to collectors across multiple specialties — WCE medal enthusiasts, Columbus memorabilia collectors, and those who collect silver medals by composition. The silver content also gives these pieces intrinsic value that base metal souvenirs lack, which contributed to better survival rates as owners were less to discard pieces with precious metal content.

Rarity Notes

Scarce silver medal. Silver WCE medals were produced in limited quantities and are significantly less common than base metal examples of the same design. The precious metal content has generally ensured careful preservation.

Cross References

Eglit-98A; PCGS #920548; Christopher Columbus