1861 Copper Harvey Lewis Sutler Nickel

Coin Details

Auction Record

$552 MS62BN 06-23-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by Harvey Lewis. Struck in copper, this 5-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. The copper composition gives this token a surface that ranges from bright original red to deep chocolate brown, depending on its storage conditions and handling history. Dated 1861, produced early in the war before token usage became widespread in military camps. Sutler tokens provide a direct window into the economic life of Civil War military camps and the soldiers who lived in them. These tokens passed through the hands of soldiers in specific military installations, creating artifacts tied to particular units and campaigns. 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

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.