(1861) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-147/228a, I Am Ready

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,840 MS66RB 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 147, a uniformed Wide-Awake supporter inscribed "I AM READY" — the Wide-Awakes were a Republican paramilitary organization that supported Lincoln's 1860 campaign, with reverse die 228 bearing a design featuring "I Am Ready". These privately manufactured cent-sized tokens served as emergency coinage throughout the North from 1862 to 1864. Their production was an entrepreneurial response to the wartime disappearance of federal small change from everyday commerce. Copper was overwhelmingly preferred for patriotic token production because it replicated the look, feel, and weight of federal Indian Head cents. Merchants rarely questioned copper tokens placed alongside genuine cents in the cash drawer. Produced in 1861. Die sinkers produced patriotic tokens on hand-operated screw presses capable of striking several hundred pieces per hour. The largest manufacturers maintained multiple presses and employed teams of workers to meet the enormous wartime demand.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 147/228a. Die pairing: obverse 147, reverse 228. 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 147/228a