(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-1/198c, United States

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 1, 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 198 bearing a "UNITED STATES" or medal-style design. The French Liberty head design was the workhorse of the patriotic token series. Die sinkers favored this classical motif because its resemblance to official currency increased merchant acceptance of privately produced cent substitutes. Struck in nickel, a scarce composition for patriotic tokens. The hard, silvery metal produced tokens with sharp details and excellent wear resistance. 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 1/198c. Die pairing: obverse 1, reverse 198. Nickel strikes are scarce. 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 1/198c