Bryan Money

The protectionists wanted high tariffs to keep out foreign goods and create jobs in the United States.

The Populist Party's remedy was to substantially increase the money supply by adopting a dual monetary standard.

These issues polarized the people of the west and south on one side and the northeast on the other, farmer against the industrialist, the well-to-do against the lower economic classes.

Following the demonetization of silver, dubbed the "Crime of ‘73", tensions arose between factions of both the Democratic and Republican political parties.

During the 1896 and 1900 elections, Bryan, along with several lesser parties, argued for a dual standard because it would enable the government to put more paper money into circulation, as it could be backed by both gold and silver.

McKinley's supporters issued Bryan Money as a political statement about these dueling standards.

[1] Satirical tokens bore "derisive or humorous inscriptions" that mocked the proposed dual standard.

[1] After the design's initial production, individual craftsmen would often copy them in a crude fashion and distribute them to fellow supporters, contributing to the variety of quality of Bryan Monies.

Bryan Money was never intended for circulation and was rarely carried so it was spared the normal wear of other collectible currency.

[1] Coin collectors had little interest in Bryan Money in the late 1800s because it was not a true currency, but rather political commentary.