(1863) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-256/433b, Horrors of War

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 256, a "HORRORS OF WAR" design depicting the grim realities of the conflict, with reverse die 433 bearing the dramatic inscription "HORRORS OF WAR". This unflinching design acknowledged the enormous human cost of the conflict. Dies in this range encompass naval scenes, constitutional inscriptions, and fraternal symbols. The variety demonstrates that Civil War tokens served not only as emergency currency but also as miniature propaganda platforms for causes ranging from Union patriotism to fraternal solidarity. 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. New York City produced over half of all Civil War patriotic tokens, with additional output from Waterbury, Connecticut (center of the brass industry) and Cincinnati, Ohio (home of John Stanton and other prolific die sinkers).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 256/433b. Die pairing: obverse 256, reverse 433. 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 256/433b