(1861-65) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-221/324b, The Federal Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 221, a design inscribed "THE FEDERAL UNION IT MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED," Andrew Jackson's famous toast — one of the most common patriotic token inscriptions with over ten obverse die varieties, with reverse die 324 bearing the inscription "THE FEDERAL UNION IT MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED". This famous phrase originated as Andrew Jackson's toast during the 1830 Nullification Crisis and was revived as a powerful declaration of Union supremacy. The "Federal Union" inscription dies transformed Jackson's 1830 toast into a rallying cry for the 1860s. These text-heavy obverses sacrificed artistic elaboration for maximum clarity of message, ensuring the words could be read even on well-worn tokens. Brass tokens stand out from the copper majority with their warm golden hue. The brass industry centered in Waterbury, Connecticut provided ready access to this alloy for New England token manufacturers. Produced in 1861-65.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 221/324b. Die pairing: obverse 221, reverse 324. 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 221/324b