(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-92/199fo, Stk on 1857 United States Medal

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,640 XF45 04-26-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 92, 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 199 bearing a "UNITED STATES" or medal-style design. The Indian Head obverse family capitalized on the recognizable federal cent design. These were among the most commercially successful patriotic tokens because their similarity to government-issued cents made them virtually indistinguishable in pocket change. Copper was overwhelmingly preferred for patriotic token production because it replicated the look, feel, and weight of federal Indian Head cents. Merchants rarely questioned copper tokens placed alongside genuine cents in the cash drawer. Dated 1863. Die sinkers produced patriotic tokens on hand-operated screw presses capable of striking several hundred pieces per hour. The largest manufacturers maintained multiple presses and employed teams of workers to meet the enormous wartime demand.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 92/199fo. Die pairing: obverse 92, reverse 199. 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 92/199fo