(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-31/279a, Union Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$100 AU58BN 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 31, a Union eagle with spread wings and shield, with reverse die 279 bearing a design featuring "Union Eagle". This obverse belongs to a family of military-themed dies spanning slogans, weapons, and patriotic declarations. The variety of designs in this range shows how die sinkers competed to capture the wartime public's appetite for patriotic imagery. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. Produced in 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). The token era demonstrated that private enterprise could fill a gap in the nation's monetary system when the government proved unable to maintain adequate circulating coinage.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 31/279a. Die pairing: obverse 31, reverse 279. 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 31/279a