(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-D10B, F. Mangold

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by F. Mangold. Struck in brass, this 10-cent token circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise from the sutler. Sutler who issued brass 10-cent tokens (S-D10B). The sparse documentation of Mangold in published sources is typical of many sutlers who left little biographical trace beyond their tokens. Most sutler tokens were produced in brass, and this piece reflects the standard material choice of wartime token manufacturers. The brass stock came from established commercial suppliers, the same firms that provided blanks for buttons, badges, and other stamped metal goods. Issued during the years when military camp commerce depended on private token currency to compensate for the federal coin shortage. As artifacts of military commerce, sutler tokens connect collectors to the daily economic reality of Civil War camp life. These tokens passed through the hands of soldiers in specific military installations, creating artifacts tied to particular units and campaigns. Most sutler tokens were produced by die sinkers in Cincinnati (John Stanton, James Murdock Jr.) and the Northeast (William Bridgens in New York, Koehler in Baltimore). Custom dies bearing the sutler's name and regiment were paired with patriotic or eagle reverses.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-D10B. 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-D10B