Just in case one of you collectors with deep pockets missed it! I'd love to own it especially since there's only two. How about you? https://www.ebay.com/itm/1879-ULYSS...m215a78f303:g:8BkAAOSwCL5c2uJw&frcectupt=true
This piece is rare in gold, but it's quite common in copper. It was struck by the Philadelphia Mint in connection with a parade that the city held for U.S. Grant on December 16, 1879. It is listed among the 1880 presidential campaign tokens. Grant tried to get the Republican nomination in 1880 so that he could run for a third term. He had retired from the presidency in 1877 and took a world tour, to much adulation. The Republican convention deadlocked between Grant and James G. Blain. In the end they nominated darkhorse candidate, James Garfield. Here is the piece in my collection. It came with the original envelope in which it was issued, which is quite interesting. I think that only two pieces were struck in gold. It was also struck in brass and white metal.
I think that one might be a good investment, for someone looking to make a profit. Unless, of course, the initial cost is too high, which I have no way of judging. If there were only 2 of them minted, then that is getting pretty rare, even for exonumia.
I’m not so sure about the investment part. First, as you said, it is a piece of exonumia. In the world of U.S. coins, $16,000 is not that much money, but for a token, medal and campaign piece, it's a fortune. The number of interested collectors is limited and some them are not high rollers. I have an extensive collection of tokens and medals, but off the top of my head I can only think of one instance where I spent a five figure amount for one piece. That was for a 1905 Theodore Roosevelt inaugural medal that was designed by Augustus St. Gaudens. The mintage on that piece is 125 in bronze and the reverse features an eagle that is very similar to the one that appears on the Indian $10 gold piece. It's one of the top two or three presidential inaugural medals. In other words it's a key item in a popular series. Second, I might be different from some collectors, but I'm more interested in pieces that actually may have been used in a presidential campaign than an off-metal, like this piece. Many of the off-metal piece (in this case something other than copper) were made for collectors "back in the day" or for VIPs. This piece could be a big deal if it was one that was given to Grant. In that case it might rate a very high price, but there are no claims here that Grant was a former owner or recipiant.
You got that right, $16,000 dollars, that's some big crazy money there! Incidentally, here's my bronze token I just got in the mail today. That's how my money rolls!
