(1861) Copper Civil War Sutler Token S-3-10C, J. Leggat

Coin Details

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by J.A. Leggat, sutler to the 3rd Michigan Cavalry. Struck in copper, this 10-cent token circulated as private camp currency redeemable for merchandise from the sutler. Sutler to the 3rd Michigan Cavalry. His 10-cent token reads CHECK 10 CENTS SUTLER GOODS, explicitly identifying the piece as sutler currency redeemable for merchandise at his field store. Conducted operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. 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. Sutler issues constitute the scarcest of the three Civil War token families, with significantly lower survival rates than the more commonly encountered patriotic and store card types. 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.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-3-10C. 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-3-10C