(1844) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-481/483b, Hope

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 481, an allegorical figure of Hope depicted as a woman with an anchor, a neoclassical motif on English-made dies dated 1844 but used during the Civil War era, with reverse die 483 bearing an allegorical figure of Hope depicted as a woman with an anchor. Hope, a neoclassical motif from English die-making tradition, represented steadfast optimism during the nation's gravest crisis. The English-made Hope dies stand apart from domestically produced patriotic tokens in both artistic style and subject matter. Their allegorical imagery — figures representing Hope, Fortune, and other classical virtues — reflects the British tradition of finely engraved token dies. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. Produced in 1844. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 481/483b. Die pairing: obverse 481, reverse 483. Brass strikes are less common than copper. The Fuld rarity scale ranges from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique); survival depends on the specific die combination, metal, and condition.

Cross References

Fuld 481/483b