(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-191/443a, Pro Bono Publico

Coin Details

Auction Record

$156 MS66BN 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 191, a design inscribed "PRO BONO PUBLICO" (for the public good), a classical Latin motto expressing civic duty, with reverse die 443 bearing a design featuring "Pro Bono Publico". 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. 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 191/443a. Die pairing: obverse 191, reverse 443. 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 191/443a