(1860) Civil War Patriotic Token F-219/320a, Shall be Preserved

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 219, a design inscribed "SHALL BE PRESERVED," completing Jackson's Federal Union quotation, with reverse die 320 bearing the inscription "SHALL BE PRESERVED". The "Federal Union" text obverse dies bore Andrew Jackson's famous toast — "The Federal Union — It must and shall be preserved." This was one of the most commonly reproduced patriotic inscriptions on Civil War tokens, appearing across more than ten distinct die varieties. This copper striking represents the standard composition for patriotic tokens. Die sinkers chose copper because its properties — malleability, durability, and cent-like appearance — made it ideal for mass-produced emergency currency. Dated 1860. 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 219/320a. Die pairing: obverse 219, reverse 320. Copper is the most common composition, representing the majority of surviving specimens. 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 219/320a