(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-188/435a, Industry-United We Stand

Coin Details

Auction Record

$360 MS64BN 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 188, an allegorical figure of Industry, personifying the productive Northern economy that sustained the Union war effort, with reverse die 435 bearing the motto "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL". This proverb, attributed to Aesop, took on urgent meaning during the secession crisis. Shield and cannon obverses in this die range drew on heraldic and military imagery to express Union loyalty. These designs were popular because their bold, simple motifs reproduced well on the small cent-sized planchet format. Copper was the standard metal for patriotic tokens, chosen because cent-sized copper pieces could pass as substitute federal cents in everyday commerce. Bearing the date 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 188/435a. Die pairing: obverse 188, reverse 435. 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 188/435a