(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-153/282a, Benjamin Franklin

Coin Details

Auction Record

$5,280 MS66RB 06-09-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 153, a portrait of Benjamin Franklin, whose practical wisdom and inventive spirit were invoked as American ideals worth defending, with reverse die 282 bearing a portrait or inscription referencing General George B. McClellan. McClellan commanded the Army of the Potomac and ran against Lincoln in 1864. Patriotic tokens filled the currency vacuum created when Americans hoarded federal coins after the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. Die sinkers and token manufacturers stepped in to supply the cent-sized pieces that commerce demanded. Struck in silver, a rare composition reserved for special orders or presentation pieces. Silver patriotic tokens were produced in tiny quantities for collectors and dignitaries. Bearing the date 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 153/282a. Die pairing: obverse 153, reverse 282. Silver strikes are rare presentation or special-order pieces. 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 153/282a