(1863) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-203/413b, The Flag Of Our Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 203, a design depicting the American flag circled by thirteen stars inscribed "THE FLAG OF OUR UNION," one of the most popular obverse die families, expressing loyalty to the national standard, with reverse die 413 bearing the inscription "OUR UNION". A personal and possessive declaration of loyalty to the Union. "Flag of Our Union" obverses were produced in large quantities because the American flag was the single most powerful patriotic symbol available. These dies were versatile workhorses, paired with dozens of different reverse dies to create hundreds of distinct varieties. 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. Bearing the date 1863. Die sinkers produced patriotic tokens on hand-operated screw presses capable of striking several hundred pieces per hour. The largest manufacturers maintained multiple presses and employed teams of workers to meet the enormous wartime demand.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 203/413b. Die pairing: obverse 203, reverse 413. 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 203/413b