(1844) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-481/491b, Hope/Dog & Duck

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 491 bearing a dog and duck scene. The Hope series uses English-made dies depicting allegorical figures including Hope with an anchor, genre scenes with animals, and the inscription "WAR OF 1861." These dies were manufactured in England and imported for use on Civil War-era tokens, giving them a distinctive artistic character. The brass composition, while less common than copper, produced tokens with a distinctive yellow-gold appearance. Waterbury, Connecticut — the brass capital of America — supplied much of the raw material for token production. Dated 1844. New York City produced over half of all Civil War patriotic tokens, with additional output from Waterbury, Connecticut (center of the brass industry) and Cincinnati, Ohio (home of John Stanton and other prolific die sinkers).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 481/491b. Die pairing: obverse 481, reverse 491. 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 481/491b