New Purchase - Lincoln - "Long May It Wave" Medalet

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by johnmilton, Sep 8, 2023.

  1. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    Recently this piece popped up on a dealer's fix price list, and I purchased it. It is a DeWitt AL 1864-33 in copper. It is rated as an R-8, estimated 5 to 10 known. It is also known in brass, white metal and silver. Each of those pieces are also rated R-8 which would put the total population at 20 to 40 pieces. This piece is also listed as a Civil War token, patriotic die combination 131/217a. PCGS graded it MS-63, Brown.

    AL 1864-33 All.jpg

    This Lincoln medal was also paired with a Union League reverse. I have that piece also. This is listed as DeWitt AL 1864-32 and as Patriotic Civil War token 131/479b. The rarity is similar to the previous piece.

    AL 1864-32 All.jpg

    Finally the reverses were combined for another token, which is in DeWitt as U-1862-6. It is also listed as a Civil War token with the numbers 479/217. I don't own an example of this combination and will probably never go after it. This is a combination of the tokens shown above.

    U 1862-6.jpg

    This tokens were issued by the Union League of Philadelphia. The Union League was a political/patriotic organization which supported candidates who supported the Union cause during the Civil War. It was mostly a Republican organization although it did lend support to some pro-Union Democrats during the Civil War. It still exists today. Here is the Union Headquarters as looks today in Philadelphia.

    Union League HQ Phil.jpg

    E.C. Key and Sons made the dies for these tokens and probably the tokens as well. A member of the family, William Key worked at the Philadelphia Mint after the Civil War, during the era of George Morgan and Charles Barber.

    I believe that these pieces were made for the Union League members. There also some pieces that were struck for collectors.

    I also have the die that was used to strike the Lincoln obverse. This is one of four known Civil War token dies that are known to exist.

    AL 1864-32 Die.jpg
     
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. TheNickelGuy

    TheNickelGuy Well-Known Member

    Great write up and wonderful acquisition(s). Neat putting that collection together, truly unique.
     
    johnmilton and lardan like this.
  4. lardan

    lardan Supporter! Supporter

    Great info and photos. Thanks for posting.
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  5. Cheech9712

    Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

    Way to put your foot down. Love me some Abe. Thanks for saving the coin
     
    johnmilton likes this.
  6. Cheech9712

    Cheech9712 Every thing is a guess

    Will you invite me to your coin show opening. One hell of a Galla. Oh never mind
     
    johnmilton likes this.
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page