(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-E10B, John I. Metcalf-John Stanton

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by John I. Metcalf. This 10-cent brass piece functioned as camp scrip, exchangeable for provisions and sundries at the sutler's traveling store. Sutler whose tokens were manufactured by John Stanton of Cincinnati. Metcalf issued brass tokens in 10-cent and 25-cent denominations, using dies that paired his name with Stanton's die sinker mark. Dies were cut by John Stanton of Cincinnati, Ohio. Produced in brass, the standard composition for the majority of Civil War sutler tokens. Brass proved an effective striking medium, and tokens from this era often display remarkably well-preserved details despite decades of handling. Manufactured during the war years when private tokens filled the coinage vacuum in military camps across the Union states. Sutler issues constitute the scarcest of the three Civil War token families, with significantly lower survival rates than the more commonly encountered patriotic and store card types. The April and June 1864 anti-token laws ended legal production of sutler tokens, and Congress completed the process by abolishing sutlers entirely in 1866. Collectors classify Civil War sutler tokens by issuer, regiment, denomination, and metal composition. The Schenkman catalog, first published in 1983 and revised by Richard W. Irons, remains the standard reference for the series.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-E10B. 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-E10B