(1862) Lead Civil War Sutler Token SCH-ME-1, The First Clad

Coin Details

Auction Record

$7,200 MS64 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War sutler token issued by The First Clad. This lead token served as camp currency, redeemable for goods at the sutler's field store. A lead sutler token (Schenkman ME-1) dated 1862, classified in the Schenkman catalog under the ME (miscellaneous/experimental) heading. The title THE FIRST CLAD may reference the first clad coinage or the ironclad warships that debuted in 1862. Lead tokens are uncommon and typically show heavy wear due to the soft metal. Struck in lead, one of the softer metals used for sutler tokens. The material's malleability meant these pieces wore quickly in circulation. Dated 1862, when wartime hoarding of federal coinage made private tokens a necessity for camp commerce. The sutler occupied a unique position as a government-licensed civilian merchant embedded within a military unit, providing goods that supplemented standard army rations. The sutler system was officially abolished by Congress in 1866, concluding a chapter of military commerce that had existed since the Revolutionary era.

Rarity Notes

Schenkman SCH-ME-1. All sutler tokens are rated R-5 or higher on the Fuld rarity scale (fewer than 200 surviving examples of any given variety). In lead, this variety falls within the uncommon range for the series. An estimated 4,000 to 6,000 sutler token pieces survive across all varieties.

Cross References

Schenkman SCH-ME-1