(1863) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-20/384, Not One Cent

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 20, a French-style Liberty head facing left surrounded by thirteen stars, the most common obverse die family on Civil War patriotic tokens, with reverse die 384 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. French Liberty head dies were produced in greater quantity than any other obverse family. The neoclassical bust of Liberty, inspired by French medallic art, lent an air of official authority to these privately manufactured emergency coins. The brass composition, while less common than copper, produced tokens with a distinctive yellow-gold appearance. Waterbury, Connecticut — the brass capital of America — supplied much of the raw material for token production. Dated 1863.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 20/384. Die pairing: obverse 20, reverse 384. 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 20/384