ABRAHAM LINCOLN HARTFORD WIDE-AWAKES COPPER 1860 CAMPAIGN TOKEN

**Jaichim24** · Nov 06, 2011, 10:29 PM

I went on a quick 1.5 hour hunt today at a previous site. They are clearing out the woods around it so I'm able to enter some areas I hadn't been able to get into. I got this cool token along with a nice sized tombac button in the same hole. I can already tell this is going to be one of my favorite finds of 2011. I had never heard of the Hartford Wide Awakes and the association with Abraham Lincolns presidential campaign. This is an interesting piece of history leading up to the Civil War.

Below is a copy/paste from an eBay listing where I also found the token I dug along with the ribbon that was attached to it. Enjoy.

28mm ABRAHAM LINCOLN HARTFORD WIDE-AWAKES COPPER 1860 CAMPAIGN TOKEN. Inscription HARTFORD WIDE-AWAKES, two stars to right and left: center, a marcher wearing the uniform of the Loncoln Wide-Awake Club, carrying cane and a lantern. Reverse inscription, ORANIZED, five stars to right and left; center, a uniformed marcher carrying a torch light, below, 1860. Plain and reeded edge, holed at top with 13 star ribbon flag and pin. Listed in Sullivan Dewitt as AL 1860-40. Struck early in the campaign in Waterberry Connecticut and were considered the official insignia of the Hartford Wide Awakes.