(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-82/351a, Crossed Cannons

Coin Details

Auction Record

$115 MS63 03-12-2018 David Lawrence RC

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 82, 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 351 bearing crossed cannons with a drum, flags, and liberty cap. This military vignette was a popular and visually striking reverse design. As the second-largest obverse die family, Indian Head designs exploited the public's familiarity with the federal cent. The closer a token resembled genuine federal coinage, the more readily it circulated as emergency currency. Copper was the standard metal for patriotic tokens, chosen because cent-sized copper pieces could pass as substitute federal cents in everyday commerce. Dated 1863. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, and the introduction of fractional currency notes and new bronze two-cent pieces gradually eliminated the need for emergency tokens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 82/351a. Die pairing: obverse 82, reverse 351. 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 82/351a