(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-178/267a, Our Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 178, a design inscribed "THE FEDERAL UNION IT MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED," Andrew Jackson's famous 1830 anti-nullification toast adopted as a Civil War Union rallying cry, with reverse die 267 bearing the inscription "OUR UNION". A personal and possessive declaration of loyalty to the Union. This obverse belongs to a diverse family of shield, artillery, and text-based designs. Die sinkers in this range experimented with both pictorial and typographic approaches to patriotic messaging on cent-sized tokens. The copper composition ensured these tokens closely matched the weight, size, and color of federal Indian Head cents, facilitating their acceptance in daily transactions. Produced in 1863. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute. Americans began hoarding federal coins following the suspension of specie payments in December 1861, creating the currency vacuum that patriotic tokens filled.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 178/267a. Die pairing: obverse 178, reverse 267. Copper is the most common composition, representing the majority of surviving specimens. 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 178/267a