(1860-65) Token F-600E-6b Brass PE Steamer Lancaster TN

Coin Details

Description

This brass patriotic envelope Civil War token from 1860-65 is cataloged as Fuld 600E-6b and was associated with the steamer Lancaster, operating out of Tennessee (Fuld city code 600 = Nashville or other Tennessee location). The Steamer Lancaster was a riverboat that plied the Tennessee or Cumberland River during the Civil War era, and its token served as both advertising for the vessel's commercial services and as emergency currency during the acute coin shortage. River transportation was vital to Tennessee's economy, and steamboat operators were among the many businesses that issued tokens to facilitate commerce. The Fuld 600E designation places this in the Tennessee merchant token series, with "E" identifying the specific issuer (Steamer Lancaster appears under multiple Tennessee Fuld numbers). The brass composition (suffix "b") and patriotic envelope reverse represent a standard combination for the period. Civil War tokens associated with transportation companies are particularly interesting to collectors who specialize in the intersection of numismatics and transportation history. The steamer tokens document the commercial life of Southern rivers during a period of enormous upheaval, when military operations frequently disrupted civilian river traffic and tokens like these represented attempts to maintain normal business operations amid the chaos of war.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 600E-6b in brass is scarce. Tennessee Civil War tokens are less common than those from Northern states, reflecting the disruption of commerce in border and Confederate areas.

Cross References

PCGS #676215; Fuld 600E-6b; Steamer Lancaster, TN; Civil War store card