~ Copper 4 The Weekend™ ~

Broadstruck · September 25, 2015 9:53AM

I had to turn to coin dealer Edward Cogan for the answer I was searching for...

I was fortunate to pick up two examples of this Geary campaign medal in copper over the span of a few years. One was offered to me privately by a exonumia dealer who mentioned he'd never seen another. The second came out of a Civil War memorabilia dealer private collection who also mentioned it's the only example he's ever seen. They are more commonly seen in white metal but are still scarce especially in high grade without having been abused or holed for suspension. In white metal there's also a 1869 dated version of the same issued by Key which is a tad bit tougher to find then the 1866. Still since these are state government and not presidential there has never been anything written on them to turn to for information so I've just continued to dig research wise. It was neat seeing that Edward Cogan in his 1877 Bangs auction description Lot 732 already considered these then 11 year young copper versions very rare

1866 Major General John White Geary, Campaign for Governor of Pennsylvania, 31mm Diameter, Plain Edge, Copper, Struck by William H. Key

kaz · September 25, 2015 10:42AM

Neat documentation. Very attractive medal; I like that "braided" look to the star, I haven't seen that kind of engraving before.

Broadstruck · September 25, 2015 11:03AM

<< <i>Neat documentation. Very attractive medal; I like that "braided" look to the star, I haven't seen that kind of engraving before. >>

Thanks Kaz

Yeah the braiding is unique but even on the white metal examples the smaller inner boarder fades in and out due to the high relief obverse.

Which may be the reason Key never attempted it on any other.

The "I Vote As I Fight" steams from a spent cannon ball which hit him in the chest at the battle of Chancellorsville. While not quite enough to kill him it did knock him unconscious and left him unable to speak above a whisper for many weeks. Less than a month later Geary was leading his men at the Battle of Gettysburg. At 6 foot 6 inches tall & 260 pounds Geary was an easy target on the battlefield and was injured 8 times but always rejoined the fight.

kaz · September 25, 2015 11:52AM

I didn't know that about Geary! Incredibly lucky to survive being hit by a spent cannonball, there are a number of stories of soldiers reaching down to "catch" a cannonball bouncing along the ground and having a hand removed. His experience is somewhat analagous to Joe Hooker's at Chancellorsville, when a cannonball knocked down a beam at the Chancellor house, hitting him on the head, after that he was pretty ineffectual as a commander in the battle.