1807–1865 Battle of the Little Big Horn 2-pc Tribute Set

The Coins of Custer’s Last Stand

While most of the nation was gearing up for its Centennial Celebration in the summer of 1876, the greatest fight of the Indian Wars was taking place alongside a lazy stretch of river known to Native Americans as the Greasy Grass. Remembered today as the Battle of the Little Big Horn, the fight on June 25-26 pitted warriors of the Lakota Sioux, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes led by Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull against troopers of the United States Army’s famed 7th Cavalry Regiment serving under Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer – the celebrated “Boy General” of the Civil War.

The news of the battle was shocking: The regiment was decimated, Custer and several members of his immediate family were killed and the resulting summer-long “Great Sioux War” ultimately saw the tribes of the Northern Great Plains surrender to the harsh reality of the reservation, changing their way of life forever.

Following the fight – and for many years after – a variety of relics were discovered on the battlefield including bullets, shell casings, belt buckles and even a trooper’s full skeleton that was revealed after a prairie fire wiped the battlefield clean. Among the most prized objects retrieved were a Two Cent piece and Bust Half Dollar. Those two coins – a sum total of 52 cents – sold at an auction recently for $2,375!

This tribute set brings together a vintage example of each coin type: A genuine Two-Cent copper piece struck in 1865 and an 1807-1839 Bust Half Dollar struck in 90% fine silver. Each comes in good condition meaning they actually circulated in commerce and still retain their designs. Who knows, maybe these coins sat in the saddlebags of a 7th Cavalry Trooper and were spent on his last leave before heading out to the Plains to meet his destiny.

Each two-piece set will come displayed in a custom-designed insert card and housed in a 3" x 5" clear acrylic holder for optimal viewing. You’ll also receive an informative storycard that provides details about the famous battle. As an added bonus, you will also receive a special gold-colored 100th Anniversary Dakota Territory Medal issued in 1961 that displays none other than George Armstrong Custer himself, a fitting design since the 7th cavalry was based out of Fort Abraham Lincoln near Bismarck in Dakota Territory. At 34 mm in diameter, this brass token is larger than a half dollar.

If you or someone you know loves stories about the Old West, then this set is perfect! It’s a great way to share this important story from Wild West history with the actual money that circulated during that time.