(1861-65) White Metal Civil War Sutler Token S-M5WM, John H. Gotshall

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by John H. Gotshall. Struck in white metal, this piece circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise. Sutler who issued a white metal 5-cent token (S-M5WM). White metal (a tin-based alloy) was an inexpensive alternative to brass or copper for token production, though its softness meant white metal tokens often survive in lower grades than their brass counterparts. White metal (a tin-based alloy) was an inexpensive alternative to brass. Its softness means surviving examples often show significant wear. Manufactured during the war years when private tokens filled the coinage vacuum in military camps across the Union states. Among the three categories of Civil War tokens — patriotic, store card, and sutler — sutler tokens are by far the scarcest in surviving numbers. 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. Most sutler tokens were produced by die sinkers in Cincinnati (John Stanton, James Murdock Jr.) and the Northeast (William Bridgens in New York, Koehler in Baltimore). Custom dies bearing the sutler's name and regiment were paired with patriotic or eagle reverses.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-M5WM. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). White metal strikes are scarce for sutler tokens. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman S-M5WM