1864 Great Central Fair Medal. Silver. 57mm. By Anthony C. Paquet. Julian CM-44. MS-62 (NGC).Issued for the Sanitary Commission during the Civil War, this piece is occasionally encountered in bronzed copper, however silver specimens are true rarities. R.W. Julian states that 901 bronze and four silver examples were struck in the summer of 1864. This one with slate gray semi-reflective fields and great eye appeal. Some tiny contact marks are noted along with light friction on the highest parts of the obverse design -- both features to be expected on large medals of this period.From the Robert and Marjorie Kantor Collection of Sanitary Fair Memorabilia at the Wichita State University.
