About the Piece
Ulysses S. Grant rose from relative obscurity to become the Union’s most important commander during the American Civil War and later the 18th President of the United States. In late 1863 or early 1864, after his victory at Vicksburg had secured Union control of the Mississippi, Grant received a matched pair of elaborately engraved Remington New Model Army revolvers. Numbered 1 and 2, the presentation set remained out of public view for more than 150 years before resurfacing in 2018. Four years later, the pair sold at auction for $5.17 million.
These were not ordinary military sidearms. The practical Remington platform — octagonal barrel, solid frame and top strap — became the foundation for extensive scroll engraving attributed to master engraver L.D. Nimschke. Raised ivory grips made Grant himself part of the design: his portrait in uniform appears on one side, while the other carries a spread-winged eagle, American flags and the Columbia shield. A weapon developed for wartime service had been transformed into a presentation object built around the man receiving it.
Spectres recreates that contrast in silver. Black antiquing across the frame references the blued steel of the original revolvers, while the grip remains in antiqued silver to preserve the visual separation once created by ivory. The result does not recreate a battlefield-worn sidearm; it recreates one of the most extraordinary presentation firearms associated with Grant — a Civil War object hidden for generations before returning to public view as a record-setting collectible.
Specifications
What’s Included
- Individually numbered Spectres piece
- Matching numbered Certificate of Authenticity with product specifications
- Custom-designed Spectres presentation box
Every Spectres piece carries the Ghost mint mark.
How is this a coin?
- A coin is defined by its official issuance, not by its physical shape. This piece is formally issued as legal tender by a sovereign issuing authority, with an official denomination and year of issue.
- Money and coinage have also taken unconventional forms throughout history, including ancient Chinese knife- and spade-shaped money. Spectres continues that idea in modern legal tender, where a coin may be round, shaped, functional, sculptural or fully three-dimensional.
