(1844) White Metal Civil War Patriotic Token F-481/490, Hope/Huntsman

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 490 bearing a huntsman design. 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 white metal (a lead-tin alloy), producing a silvery appearance. Produced in 1844. Patriotic tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many tokens show heavy wear consistent with extended use in commerce.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 481/490. Die pairing: obverse 481, reverse 490. The Fuld rarity scale runs from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (believed unique).

Cross References

Fuld 481/490