Thomas Hisgen: Rare Independence Party contributors' medal

Medal commemorating the founding of the Independence Party, 1908. Aluminum.

Formed by publishing magnet William Randolph Hearst, the short-lived Independence Party ran only one candidate. Thomas Hisgen had been a candidate for governor of Massachusetts in 1907, the same year Hearst ran for governor of New York. Both men lost, but Hisgen made a respectable showing, enough to garner his nomination (backed by Hearst and his newspaper syndicate) for president the following year. Hisgen polled fewer than 1% of the vote, and the party later dissolved.

An exceedingly scarce third party item.