(c.1867) Medalet JAB-28 Copper Lincoln - Emancipation

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,800 MS66BN 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This copper medalet from circa 1867, cataloged as JAB-28, features Abraham Lincoln in connection with the theme of emancipation. John Adams Bolen's Lincoln emancipation medalet connects the martyred president with his most consequential act — the Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, which freed enslaved people in Confederate-held territory and transformed the Civil War from a struggle to preserve the Union into a war for human freedom. The medalet format (smaller than a medal) and copper composition indicate this was produced for broad distribution to collectors. Bolen's Lincoln pieces are among the most collected in his series, as Lincoln memorabilia from the immediate post-assassination and Reconstruction period carries particular emotional and historical weight. The emancipation theme places this among the most significant Lincoln medallic items, documenting the association between Lincoln and freedom that became central to his legacy and to the meaning of the Civil War in American memory.

Rarity Notes

Rare. JAB-28 copper. Bolen Lincoln medalets are particularly sought by Lincoln collectors. Production approximately 25-50 pieces.

Cross References

PCGS #523002; JAB-28; John Adams Bolen; Lincoln; Emancipation; Copper; c.1867