Last weekend Heritage hosted their special Abraham Lincoln memorabilia auction, closing with $2.4 million in sales. The joint venture between Heritage and The Rail Splitter celebrated the 20th anniversary of the publication for Lincoln enthusiasts.

Taking the top spot was an 1852 medal honoring Secretary of State Henry Clay. Struck by the US Mint in nearly 30 ounces of solid California gold, it opened at $75,000 and quickly jumped to $346,000.

“This was indeed one of the most important Lincoln auctions of the last 50 years,” said Tom Slater, Director of Americana Auctions at Heritage. “Never have I been so impressed and amazed at both the quality of the material and the passion of Lincoln collectors from all over the globe.”

A signed carte-de-visite card image of Lincoln set a world record for an image of the type when seven bidders pushed it to $175,000. The card from 1862 was inscribed on the back by Presidential Secretary John Hay, certifying its authenticity

Keepsakes relating to Lincoln were also popular items in the sale. A love letter from Lincoln to his first fiancée, Mary Owens realized $137,500. Mary Todd Lincoln’s jet black silk mourning dress ensemble that opened at $5,000 brought an incredible $100,000.

“Certainly this is a record for any piece of Mary Lincoln memorabilia ever sold at auction,” Slater said.

Campaign memorabilia included a portrait flag of political rival Stephen A. Douglas that sold for $93,750, an 1860 portrait campaign flag depicting a beardless Lincoln ended at $75,000, and a unique 1864 silk parade flag for “Lincoln and Johnson” brought $52,500.

Additional highlights were the first national Confederate flag presented by Belle Boyd that netted $62,500, a lock of hair from Lincoln’s assassin John Wilkes Booth reached $31,250, a Lincoln mourning relic brought $31,250, and a superlative, carte-de-visite signed by Lincoln closed at $75,000.