(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-D5B, Virginia Cavalry-John Stanton

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by Virginia Cavalry (John Stanton die), sutler to the Virginia Cavalry unit (Union). This 5-cent brass token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. Sutler token for a Union Virginia Cavalry unit, with dies cut by John Stanton of Cincinnati. Virginia raised several Union cavalry regiments despite being a Confederate state; these units, often from the western counties that became West Virginia, served in Appalachian and border operations. Stanton operated from his Cincinnati shop near the major Western Theater supply depots that served Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky regiments. Brass was favored by token manufacturers for its workability and longevity, yielding pieces that retained legible details even after extensive circulation among soldiers. Struck during the wartime era when sutlers relied on privately issued tokens to facilitate daily transactions with soldiers. These tokens preserve a record of the commercial relationships between soldiers and the civilian merchants who served them. Tokens from individual sutlers circulated in defined military communities, making each surviving piece an artifact of a specific regiment.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-D5B. 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-D5B