1893 Medal Elgit-375c Over Rolled GB 1D Columbian Exposition

Coin Details

Description

This 1893 medal, listed as Elgit-375c, is one of the most unusual pieces in the entire World's Columbian Exposition medal series — it was struck over a rolled Great Britain penny (1D). The practice of overstrike, or counter-stamping an existing coin with new dies, was occasionally employed by private medal makers who found it more convenient or economical to use existing coin blanks than to produce their own planchets. In this case, a British copper penny was apparently rolled thin or annealed and then struck with WCE commemorative dies. The "GB 1D" designation indicates that the host coin was a British one-penny piece, and the overstrike may preserve traces of the original Britannia or Victoria portrait design visible beneath or around the edges of the new impression. Such overstrike pieces are valued by collectors for their dual historical interest — combining the numismatic content of the British host coin with the commemorative purpose of the Columbian Exposition medal. Eglit-375c is a variant within the broader Eglit-375 family, with the "c" suffix denoting this specific host-coin variety. Overstrikes on foreign coins were not common among WCE medals, making this piece a genuine curiosity within the series. The practice reflects the entrepreneurial spirit of small-scale souvenir producers who used whatever materials were available to enter the lucrative Columbian Exposition memorabilia market.

Rarity Notes

Rare overstrike variety. Medals struck over foreign coins are inherently limited in production and are prized by both WCE medal collectors and overstrike specialists. Very few examples of this specific Eglit-375c variety are known.

Cross References

Eglit-375c (also spelled Elgit-375c); PCGS #802285; Overstrike on Great Britain 1 Penny