(1861) Copper Civil War Sutler Token S-M10C, Simmonds-J.M. Kerr

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,080 MS64BN 06-16-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by J.M. Kerr, sutler to the Simmonds Battery, Kentucky. This 10-cent copper piece functioned as camp scrip, exchangeable for provisions and sundries at the sutler's traveling store. Sutler to Simmonds Battery, a Kentucky artillery unit. Artillery batteries, being smaller than infantry regiments, rarely had their own sutlers, making battery-specific sutler tokens uncommon. A Kentucky artillery battery serving in the Western Theater. Struck in copper, which produces a reddish surface that acquires a rich brown patina with age. Copper pieces generally survive in better condition than softer metals. Dated 1861, produced early in the war before token usage became widespread in military camps. As artifacts of military commerce, sutler tokens connect collectors to the daily economic reality of Civil War camp life. The restricted circulation of sutler tokens within individual camps means each surviving piece is traceable to a specific military community.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman S-M10C. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). In copper, this variety falls within the common range for the series. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman S-M10C