(1861-65) Brass Civil War Sutler Token UI-P-B, Civil War Sutler Token , S.T.V.6.

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by S.T.V.6 (unidentified), sutler to the Unidentified unit. This brass token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. Token bearing the cryptic inscription S.T.V.6, cataloged under the UI (unidentified) Schenkman prefix. The meaning of this abbreviation is debated — it may stand for Sutler Token Variety 6, a camp designation, or an abbreviated personal or unit identifier. The brass composition and UI prefix confirm this as a genuine but unattributed sutler piece. Brass tokens dominated sutler currency production because the alloy combined reasonable cost with the physical durability demanded by camp circulation. Produced in the war years when soldiers and sutlers alike depended on token currency for everyday camp transactions. Of the three main Civil War token categories, sutler tokens are the least numerous, surviving in quantities dwarfed by patriotic and store card issues. Congressional acts in 1864 outlawed private coinage of all types, and the postwar reorganization of 1866 eliminated the sutler system in favor of government-run post exchanges.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman UI-P-B. 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 UI-P-B