(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-84-5B, I. August-John Stanton

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by I. August, sutler to the 84th Regiment. Struck in brass, this 5-cent token circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise from the sutler. Sutler whose brass 5-cent token (S-84-5B) was manufactured by John Stanton of Cincinnati. August's token shares the S-84 regiment number with G.S. Maddy & Co. (S-84b), with the variety suffixes distinguishing them in the Schenkman catalog. Dies were cut by John Stanton of Cincinnati, Ohio. The brass composition places this piece among the majority of surviving sutler tokens, which were struck in this durable alloy. Token manufacturers sourced brass planchets from Midwestern and Northeastern metal suppliers who served the broader commercial stamping industry. Created during the wartime period when sutler tokens became indispensable for commercial transactions in army camps. Sutler tokens rank as the rarest category in the Civil War token series, with far fewer surviving examples than either patriotic or store card types. Federal prohibition of private tokens in 1864 halted new sutler token production, and the 1866 abolition of the sutler system closed this chapter of military commerce permanently.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-84-5B. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). Brass strikes are common for sutler tokens. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman S-84-5B