(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-239/422a

Coin Details

Auction Record

$576 MS64RD 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 239, the USS Monitor, the Union's revolutionary iron-turreted warship whose battle with the CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads on March 9, 1862 was the first clash of ironclads and captured the Northern public's imagination — the Monitor became one of the most popular subjects on patriotic tokens, with reverse die 422 bearing a patriotic wreath or inscription reverse. The USS Monitor obverse commemorated the naval engagement at Hampton Roads that changed maritime warfare forever. The ironclad's unprecedented revolving turret design made it one of the most iconic military subjects depicted on Civil War tokens. Produced in copper, the workhorse metal of Civil War token production. The cent-sized format and familiar copper color allowed these pieces to circulate alongside genuine federal coinage without hesitation. Produced in 1863. Collectors classify these tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique obverse and reverse die combination. Rarity ratings range from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 239/422a. Die pairing: obverse 239, reverse 422. 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 239/422a