(1863) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-209/414, Shoot on the Spoot

Coin Details

Auction Record

$84 AU50 12-26-2018 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 209, a "Flag of Our Union" design — this die is notable for its pairing with the famous "SPOOT" misspelling of "SPOT" on Dix quote reverses, with reverse die 414 bearing the inscription "IF ANYONE ATTEMPTS TO TEAR IT DOWN SHOOT HIM ON THE SPOT," General John A. Dix's famous order. Dix issued this order in January 1861 when a Treasury official in New Orleans threatened to haul down the American flag. The "Flag of Our Union" obverse dies were among the most popular families, depicting the American flag circled by thirteen stars. The flag served as the preeminent visual symbol of Union loyalty, and these dies were paired with a wide variety of reverse legends. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. Produced in 1863. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 209/414. Die pairing: obverse 209, reverse 414. 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 209/414