(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-203/413a, The Flag Of Our Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 203, a design depicting the American flag circled by thirteen stars inscribed "THE FLAG OF OUR UNION," one of the most popular obverse die families, expressing loyalty to the national standard, with reverse die 413 bearing the inscription "OUR UNION". A personal and possessive declaration of loyalty to the Union. The "Flag of Our Union" obverse dies were among the most popular families, depicting the American flag circled by thirteen stars. The flag served as the preeminent visual symbol of Union loyalty, and these dies were paired with a wide variety of reverse legends. This copper striking represents the standard composition for patriotic tokens. Die sinkers chose copper because its properties — malleability, durability, and cent-like appearance — made it ideal for mass-produced emergency currency. Dated 1863. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 203/413a. Die pairing: obverse 203, reverse 413. 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 203/413a