(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-173/272a, First In War, First In Peace

Coin Details

Auction Record

$312 MS66RB 08-11-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 173, a design featuring George Washington or the inscription "FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN," Henry Lee's famous eulogy adapted as a Union loyalty slogan, with reverse die 272 bearing the inscription "FIRST IN WAR, FIRST IN PEACE, FIRST IN THE HEARTS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN". Henry Lee's famous 1799 eulogy of George Washington was adapted during the Civil War. This obverse belongs to a diverse family of shield, artillery, and text-based designs. Die sinkers in this range experimented with both pictorial and typographic approaches to patriotic messaging on cent-sized tokens. 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. Produced in 1863.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 173/272a. Die pairing: obverse 173, reverse 272. 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 173/272a