Matt H. writes: I have a small coin, it is enclosed in a star shaped coin protector. It is a silver or aluminum coin, on one side it says, Remember the Maine, with a picture of the ship Maine, and on the other is a flag of Cuba, with the words Cuba must be free” Do you know of this coin?
Not a coin but a medal. Many were made as souvenirs after the sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor in 1898 which launched the Spanish-American War. Some of the medals attributed to this era were struck on re-rolled armor plating from remains of the actual ship by the Springfield Iron Co. in Springfield, Illinois. They were very creative with this concept and made anything from models of the ship, hat pins, ash trays as well as an extensive assortment of medals. These items were very popular and were successfully marketed.
Medals from this era are collected by numismatists that specialize in “exonumia”.
Approximate value range: $15 -$100
