1893 Medal Christopher Columbus Bronze The Santa Maria 31mm

Coin Details

Description

This 1893 bronze medal at 31mm commemorates Christopher Columbus and features the Santa Maria, his flagship on the 1492 voyage of discovery. The 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago celebrated the 400th anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas, generating enormous production of Columbus-themed medals, tokens, and commemoratives. This bronze medal depicts the Santa Maria, the largest of Columbus's three ships. The 31mm format was standard for souvenir medals. Bronze medals have served as the workhorse composition for American commemoratives, providing a durable and affordable medium that allowed broad distribution while maintaining the artistic quality of the original designs. Columbus medals from the 1893 period are among the most widely collected commemorative items of the Gilded Age, produced by both official and commercial sources in tremendous variety.

Rarity Notes

Common. Columbus/Santa Maria medal, bronze 31mm, 1893. Columbian anniversary medals are widely available.

Cross References

PCGS #888857; Christopher Columbus; Santa Maria; Bronze 31mm; 1893