(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-158-15B, Wm. Vanderbeek

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by William Vanderbeek, sutler to the 158th New York Volunteer Infantry. This 15-cent brass piece functioned as camp scrip, exchangeable for provisions and sundries at the sutler's traveling store. Sutler to the 158th New York Volunteer Infantry. New York, as the most populous Northern state, raised hundreds of regiments and was home to numerous sutlers. Served in the Department of the Gulf and participated in operations along the Louisiana coast. Produced in brass, the standard composition for the majority of Civil War sutler tokens. The brass alloy retained die details effectively, and many surviving examples preserve crisp legends and design elements. Struck during the wartime era when sutlers relied on privately issued tokens to facilitate daily transactions with soldiers. Military regulations authorized sutlers as licensed camp merchants who supplied soldiers with provisions and personal goods unavailable through standard military rations. Legislative action in 1866 terminated the sutler system, ending a tradition of licensed civilian merchants serving military units.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-158-15B. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). In brass, this variety falls within the common range for the series. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman S-158-15B