The 19th Century version of Campaign Buttons: Medals and Tokens

It is hard to imagine a time in which campaign buttons as we know them today did not exist, but before the 1896 election, that's exactly how it was. In the mid 1890's, the process of putting celluloid over buttons was perfected, and it changed the way political items were made. Many of the old tokens and medals portraying candidates were abandoned for the button, which could be made colorful and with many different and catchy slogans, and in many different sizes. Some of the most collectible and sought after buttons are from this era, often referred to as the "golden age" of campaign buttons, 1896-1916. Candidates such as William Jennings Bryan, William McKinley, Alton Parker, Theodore Roosevelt, and Woodrow Wilson have produced some of the best campaign buttons in the hobby. But before this invention, candidates had to rely on tokens and medals to get the word out, used since the beginning. With George Washington, clothing buttons were made for his first inaugural, and most candidates had tokens made throughout the 19th century. The first campaign to rely heavily on items and handouts to promote a candidate was William H. Harrison's 1840 run for the presidency. Many tokens were produced for this election, and for the age, are relatively cheap, often found for less than $50 for the more common designs. Around the time of the Civil War, tokens took a back seat to ferrotypes and stickpins with the candidates actual photo on them, an invention made possible by the camera. However, tokens and medals were still produced, but faded out around 1900 due to the button invention. Tokens and medals are often dull looking and just give the name and sometimes year of the candidate and their run for the White House. Every once in a while, an interesting design will show up on the back of a token, but a lot of times these items are only collectible for their rarity and the fact that this is the only reasonably priced items from many pre-1900 candidates. I have pictured some of the tokens I own, including William H. Harrison, John C. Fremont, Grover Cleveland, James Blaine, Winfield S. Hancock, and Benjamin Harrison. You may notice tiny holes in the top of these medals, those were made so these items could be worn around a chain or ribbon.