(1861) Copper Civil War Sutler Token S-1-25C, J.J. Benson

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by J.J. Benson, sutler to the 1st Mounted Rifles, New York. This 25-cent copper token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. Sutler to the 1st Mounted Rifles. Issued tokens in multiple denominations. The Mounted Rifles served primarily in the Eastern Theater of operations. Operated as mobile infantry capable of fighting mounted or dismounted. Copper was the second most common metal for sutler tokens, producing pieces with a distinctive reddish surface that often tones to brown over time. Dated 1861, from the first year of the Civil War when the sutler token system was still being established. Total surviving sutler tokens number in the low thousands, compared to the tens of thousands of patriotic tokens and hundreds of thousands of store cards that survive. 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-1-25C. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). Copper strikes are common for sutler tokens. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman S-1-25C