(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-54-5B, J.A. Garman

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by J.A. Garman, sutler to the 54th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. Struck in brass, this 5-cent token circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise from the sutler. The most prolific sutler token issuer of the Civil War, producing tokens in six denominations (3, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 cents) — more than any other sutler. The 100-cent ($1) piece is the highest denomination known for any sutler token. His tokens are the most common and widely collected of all sutler issues. Some 5- and 10-cent pieces bear an "X" counterstamp after the final zero, a device believed to prevent fraudulent addition of zeros to inflate the denomination. Served in the Army of the Potomac and saw action in the Peninsula Campaign and at Antietam. Most sutler tokens were produced in brass, and this piece reflects the standard material choice of wartime token manufacturers. Manufacturers obtained their brass blanks from the same commercial metalworking supply chains that served button makers and hardware producers. Struck during the wartime era when sutlers relied on privately issued tokens to facilitate daily transactions with soldiers.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-54-5B. 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-54-5B