(1861) Copper Civil War Sutler Token S-23-10C, Harvey Lewis

Coin Details

Auction Record

$456 AU58BN 06-23-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by Harvey Lewis. Struck in copper, this 10-cent token circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise from the sutler. A Civil War sutler whose tokens survive in copper. The details of his specific regiment or unit assignment remain unidentified in published catalogs. Copper sutler tokens develop a distinctive patina over time, with surfaces progressing from original mint red through intermediate brown to deep chocolate tones. Dated 1861, from the first year of the Civil War when the sutler token system was still being established. Fewer than 6,000 sutler token pieces are estimated to survive across all varieties, a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of patriotic and store card tokens that exist. The War Department imposed price controls on sutlers through the regimental council system, giving soldiers a formal mechanism to challenge excessive charges. 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-23-10C. 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-23-10C