(1861-65) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-180/430a, Hero of Pea Ridge

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 MS64BN 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 180, a design honoring the "HERO OF PEA RIDGE" — the Battle of Pea Ridge in March 1862 was a decisive Union victory that secured Missouri, with reverse die 430 bearing Benjamin Franklin's maxim "A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED". Franklin's thrift wisdom resonated during a period when actual pennies were being hoarded. This obverse belongs to a diverse family of shield, artillery, and text-based designs. Die sinkers in this range experimented with both pictorial and typographic approaches to patriotic messaging on cent-sized tokens. Produced in copper, the workhorse metal of Civil War token production. The cent-sized format and familiar copper color allowed these pieces to circulate alongside genuine federal coinage without hesitation. Produced in 1861-65. Collectors classify these tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique obverse and reverse die combination. Rarity ratings range from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 180/430a. Die pairing: obverse 180, reverse 430. Copper is the most common composition, representing the majority of surviving specimens. The Fuld rarity scale ranges from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique); survival depends on the specific die combination, metal, and condition.

Cross References

Fuld 180/430a