Political Campaign Medals & Tokens

About This Coin

Among the most historically rich categories in American exonumia, Political Campaign Medals & Tokens document over two centuries of presidential and congressional electioneering through portable metallic souvenirs. Spanning from George Washington's inaugural buttons of 1789 through modern campaign tokens, this category encompasses ferrotypes, shell badges, medalets, and struck tokens bearing candidates' portraits, slogans, and party affiliations. Early examples from the Jacksonian era (1828-1840) are particularly prized, with the 1840 William Henry Harrison "Log Cabin and Hard Cider" tokens representing a watershed in mass-produced political numismatics. Civil War-era Lincoln campaign pieces, Reconstruction-period tokens, and Gilded Age medallions each reflect the political climate of their times. Many pieces were produced by private manufacturers such as J.A. Bolen and George Lovett, whose artistry elevated campaign tokens beyond mere propaganda into collectible art. This category within the Misc. Medallic, Token, and Fantasy Coinage series attracts both numismatists and political memorabilia enthusiasts, creating a robust cross-market demand. A notable auction result reached $6.6K in XF Details grade at Stack's Bowers, though the rarest examples from early campaigns can command significantly more.