(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-154/218a, Stephen Douglas

Coin Details

Auction Record

$192 AU55BN 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 154, a portrait of Stephen A. Douglas, the Illinois senator who debated Lincoln in 1858 and ran as the Northern Democratic presidential candidate in 1860, with reverse die 218 bearing a design featuring "America". Patriotic tokens filled the currency vacuum created when Americans hoarded federal coins after the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. Die sinkers and token manufacturers stepped in to supply the cent-sized pieces that commerce demanded. The copper alloy used for this token matched the federal cent specification closely enough that these pieces passed freely in commerce during the coin shortage of 1862-1864. Bearing the date 1863. Patriotic tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many tokens show heavy wear consistent with extended use in commerce.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 154/218a. Die pairing: obverse 154, reverse 218. 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 154/218a