1860 Abraham Lincoln Political Medalet. Cunningham 1-740CN, King-70, DeWitt-AL 1860-73. Copper-Nickel. MS-64 (NGC).19 mm. This lovely Choice Mint State example is satiny to semi-prooflike with even, warm tan-rose patina. The dies for this type were cut by George Hampden Lovett for William Leggett Bramhall after May 1860. According to Rulau (2004), Lovett modeled the bust of Lincoln after a photograph that Bramhall received from a friend, George B. Lincoln of Brooklyn. Of this type Cunningham, in his 2015 Lincolniana reference, states:"The reverse of this token [with THE HANNIBAL OF AMERICA inscription] clearly emphasizes Lincolns running mate Hamlin, causing a number of observers to suggest that the token-maker Bramhall was belittling Lincoln. It may be that Bramhall was simply exercising his wit."</em>Examples were struck in brass, copper, copper-nickel, silver and white metal. Copper-nickel examples were produced to the greatest extent -- 250 pieces -- probably because Bramhall believed that they were the first political medalets produced in the same metallic composition and size as the United States Mints contemporary copper-nickel cent. In fact, the planchets were likely acquired from the Philadelphia Mint, as they were for Bramhalls copper-nickel Robbins, Royce & Hard store cards, Miller-NY 669 and 675.
