1898 Token - Cuba Must Be / Remember The Maine - Spanish American War
Item History & Price
Reference Number: Avaluer:266302 | Country/Region of Manufacture: United States |
Date: 1898 | Type: Token |
(These tokens were mostly issued pre-drilled to facilitate use as a fob)
THESE TOKENS ARE SURPRISINGLY RARE IN HIGH QUALITY CONDITION.
CountryUnited States - TokensTypeTokenMetalBrassWeight2.0 gDiameter18.5 mmThickness1.2 mmShapeRoundOrientationMedal alignment ↑↑
In all probability this brass token dates back to the Spanish American War, a 10 week war during 1898. ...It was used by proponents of the war as part of a political campaign against Spain. Cuba was trying to gain independence from Spain and the American battleship Maine steamed into Havana harbor to protect American interest there. Mysteriously, perhaps because of a Spanish bomb or perhaps because of an onboard accident, the Maine exploded, killing more than 250 American sailors. This event gave war proponents all the fuel they needed to get America involved militarily. The cause of the explosion is still unknown today.