(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-22/442a, New York

Coin Details

Auction Record

$144 AU58BN 01-12-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 22, a French-style Liberty head facing left surrounded by thirteen stars, the most common obverse die family on Civil War patriotic tokens, with reverse die 442 bearing an inscription referencing New York. New York City was the largest production center for Civil War tokens. The French Liberty head design was the workhorse of the patriotic token series. Die sinkers favored this classical motif because its resemblance to official currency increased merchant acceptance of privately produced cent substitutes. Struck in copper, the most practical metal for tokens intended to fill the gap left by hoarded federal cents. Copper tokens survive in greater numbers than any other composition, reflecting their enormous production volumes. Dated 1863. The end of the token era came swiftly in 1864 when Congress authorized new small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of a brief but remarkable chapter in American monetary history.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 22/442a. Die pairing: obverse 22, reverse 442. 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 22/442a