(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-8/314a, Army & Navy

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 8, a French-style Liberty head facing left surrounded by thirteen stars, the most common obverse die family on Civil War patriotic tokens, with reverse die 314 bearing the inscription "ARMY & NAVY" within a laurel wreath, often with crossed sabers. This tribute to the Union military was one of the most popular reverse legends, appearing on dozens of die combinations. The French Liberty head design was the workhorse of the patriotic token series. Die sinkers favored this classical motif because its resemblance to official currency increased merchant acceptance of privately produced cent substitutes. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. Dated 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).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 8/314a. Die pairing: obverse 8, reverse 314. 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 8/314a