(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-67/372d, Not One Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$55 VF30 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 67, an Indian Head design modeled after James B. Longacre's federal cent, the most popular obverse family for patriotic tokens because its resemblance to official coinage helped these privately struck pieces gain public acceptance, with reverse die 372 bearing the provocative legend "NOT ONE CENT" within a wreath. This seemingly contradictory inscription acknowledged the token had no legal-tender status while it simultaneously served as a cent substitute in everyday commerce. Indian Head dies ranked second in popularity among patriotic token obverses. Die sinkers imitated Longacre's federal cent design because merchants and the public already trusted that familiar image in commerce. The copper-nickel composition — the same alloy used for federal Indian Head cents from 1857 to 1864 — makes this a particularly faithful imitation of official government coinage. Bearing the date 1863.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 67/372d. Die pairing: obverse 67, reverse 372. Copper-nickel is an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. 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 67/372d