(1863) Civil War Patriotic Token F-97/389a, Millions for Contractors

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 97, a design inscribed "MILLIONS FOR CONTRACTORS," a sardonic commentary on wartime profiteering, with reverse die 389 bearing the inscription "MILLIONS FOR CONTRACTORS," a sardonic commentary on wartime profiteering. The Indian Head obverse deliberately copied the federal cent design to maximize public acceptance. These tokens were so convincing that many survive today mistakenly identified as genuine federal cents rather than privately issued 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. Bearing the date 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 97/389a. Die pairing: obverse 97, reverse 389. 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 97/389a