(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-85-5B, P. Shannon

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by P. Shannon, sutler to the 85th Regiment. This 5-cent brass token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. Sutler to an 85th regiment, issuing brass 5-cent tokens (S-85-5B). Shannon also appears with a John Stanton die sinker attribution on a separate token (S-R10B), indicating his dies were manufactured in Cincinnati. Dies were cut by John Stanton of Cincinnati, Ohio. The choice of brass reflected practical manufacturing considerations — the alloy struck cleanly from dies, resisted environmental damage, and cost less to produce than copper or silver. Created during the period of widespread private coinage that arose from the federal coin shortage affecting military camps. Sutler tokens occupy a unique position in American numismatics, documenting both military service and wartime commercial enterprise. Each token circulated among soldiers of a specific regiment, giving surviving pieces a direct connection to identifiable military units.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-85-5B. 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-85-5B