1896 St Louis McKinley medal, is there a variety number?
orgmr
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Does anyone know if this medal is listed in a reference, does it have a variety number? When searching for it there is an example pictured in a St. Louis collection. No were found for sale now and only one past sale was found. Any help will be appreciated.
Some details: 38mm, 3.5mm thick, 11g, plain edge, medal-turn, hole at top seems filled. William McKinley on obverse and St. Louis Convention, June 16, 1896 on reverse.
This example is mishandled with problems.
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It must have been part of a badge worn during the convention. Some later owner ditched the ribbon and filled in the hole.
Political items from the 1880's and 1890's were produced in large numbers and many varieties. As an example, the 1888 election has a Harrison/Morton handkerchief that was produced in more than 100 different varieties by the same company! (This was shown on last night's Antiques Roadshow on PBS).
Yes, the pictured piece was the drop for a hanging badge from the 1896 convention. If it is listed anywhere it would be in Volume 3 of Hake's political catalogs (mine is packed away). The standard reference for early political tokens, ferros, metal items is "American Political Badges And Medalets" by DeWitt/Sullivan but that catalog ends with the 1892 Presidential election. After 1892, celluloid pinbacks became the predominant campaign items and are cataloged in the Hake series of works.
I have a nice example of this piece, but I am on an iPad and can’t post pictures. I.ll post the later today. The reverse of this piece is from the Ohio State Seal.
I believe that DeWitt ended his guide with the 1892 election because there was so much material issued in 1896. Coins and the “free silver” were center stage that year and the varieties of political numismatic items fills a book. Also DeWitt had expanded his coverage to badges which went way beyond tokens, medalets and medals in the previous elections. If he had tried to cover the political buttons of 1896, he might have doubled the size of his book.
Here is the piece that is in my collection. It is not listed in the Hake guide.
This piece was probably worn by delegates and maybe supporters at a state convention. The Republican National convention was held in Philadelphia.
This piece may not have been attached to a ribbon. The celluloid button was issued extensively starting in 1896, it was quite often used instead of a die struck medal. Here are some convention ribbons from the period.
This piece was probably from 1900.
This Bryan ribbon was worn by a delegate from Nebraska at the 1896 Democratic Party Convention. There was less than 20 Nebraska delegates, so this piece has be rare.
This one was from an off-shoot from the Republican Party, the silver Republicans. They came from the silver producing states and chose to support Bryan instead of McKinley.
@BillJones ... Very nice political medals/ribbons. Thank you for the pictures. Cheers, RickO
Thanks everyone, I learned a lot!