(c.1891) Medal Pennsylvania First Defenders Struck on 1861 $20

Coin Details

Description

Medal honoring the Pennsylvania First Defenders — the five militia companies from Allentown, Lewistown, Pottsville, and Reading that were among the first organized troops to arrive in Washington, D.C. after President Lincoln's April 15, 1861 call for 75,000 volunteers. These citizen-soldiers passed through hostile Baltimore just days before the Pratt Street Riot. This piece was reportedly struck on an 1861 gold twenty-dollar coin, making it an extraordinary numismatic artifact combining Civil War military commemoration with a high-value gold host coin. Token production was centered in New York City, which accounted for over half of all Civil War tokens. Additional manufacturers operated in Waterbury, Connecticut; Cincinnati, Ohio; and other Northern cities with die-sinking and metalworking capabilities. These tokens are tangible artifacts of the wartime economy, preserving the patriotic sentiments and commercial ingenuity of the Northern home front.

Rarity Notes

Extremely rare. Struck on a U.S. gold double eagle ($20), this piece is of exceptional numismatic and historical significance.

Cross References

Pennsylvania First Defenders