(1863) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-199/359b, Not One Cent

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 199, a Federal Union loyalty or patriotic design, with reverse die 359 bearing the provocative legend "NOT ONE CENT" within a wreath. This seemingly contradictory inscription acknowledged the token had no legal-tender status while it simultaneously served as a cent substitute in everyday commerce. This obverse belongs to a diverse family of shield, artillery, and text-based designs. Die sinkers in this range experimented with both pictorial and typographic approaches to patriotic messaging on cent-sized tokens. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. Produced in 1863. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, and the introduction of fractional currency notes and new bronze two-cent pieces gradually eliminated the need for emergency tokens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 199/359b. Die pairing: obverse 199, reverse 359. Brass strikes are less common than copper. The Fuld rarity scale ranges from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique); survival depends on the specific die combination, metal, and condition.

Cross References

Fuld 199/359b