(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-61-5B, John Stanton

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 AU58 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by John Stanton (Die Sinker). This 5-cent brass token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. Cincinnati die sinker who operated the largest Civil War token manufacturing enterprise. Along with employees James Murdock Jr. and William W. Spencer, Stanton produced tokens for approximately 440 merchants across 12 states. His signature reads JOHN STANTON DIE SINKER CINCINNATI. Generic sutler tokens bearing only his name without a specific sutler were produced as stock dies available for field use. Dies were cut by John Stanton of Cincinnati, Ohio, the largest Civil War token manufacturer. The brass composition offered a practical balance of durability and cost, producing tokens that could endure the rough conditions of military camp commerce. Manufactured during the peak years of sutler token production, when camp commerce required a reliable medium of exchange. Sutlers operated under military license as the sole authorized civilian vendors within Union army camps, selling provisions, tobacco, stationery, and sundries to enlisted men. The federal government eliminated the sutler system entirely in 1866, replacing it with the post exchange system.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-61-5B. 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-61-5B