Outstanding Gilt Pin of the Santa Maria from the World's Columbian Expo

This is just about as nice as you will find this pin in gilt 131 years after the fair. I believe that the pin was initially sold in mutliple ways--as a part of a larger hanging rib bon and pinback and alone in a match-box-like container. I assume that these two were how it was sold as a souvenir. I ahve of course encounterned it alone, but I have seen it in both the hanging pin and alone in the box mutliple times.

Most examples that were gilt are now all black from years of tarnish. I have also seen examples in silver, although they are very rare. They could be plated but might well be silver as virtually no cost would be involved as the pin is so lightweight.