(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token S-K5B, PE , H. Jones

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by H. Jones. This 5-cent brass piece functioned as camp scrip, exchangeable for provisions and sundries at the sutler's traveling store. Sutler who issued brass tokens in 5-cent (S-K5B) and 50-cent (S-K50B) denominations. The name also appears as Wm. H. Jones on a separate listing (UI-D-5Bc), confirming this as William H. Jones. The RE prefix in the title is a parsing artifact from the original catalog transcription. Struck in brass, the alloy most commonly employed by sutler token manufacturers during the war years. The brass alloy retained die details effectively, and many surviving examples preserve crisp legends and design elements. Manufactured during the war years when private tokens filled the coinage vacuum in military camps across the Union states. Sutler tokens survive in far smaller numbers than other Civil War token types, with total population estimates ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 pieces across all known varieties. Federal regulations required sutlers to operate under the supervision of the regimental council of administration, which set price limits and could dismiss sutlers for overcharging.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-K5B. 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-K5B