(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-68/105a, Indian-Washington Star

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 68, an Indian Head design modeled after James B. Longacre's federal cent, the most popular obverse family for patriotic tokens because its resemblance to official coinage helped these privately struck pieces gain public acceptance, with reverse die 105 bearing a George Washington portrait with a star design. Washington's image invoked the founding ideals of the republic. The Indian Head obverse family capitalized on the recognizable federal cent design. These were among the most commercially successful patriotic tokens because their similarity to government-issued cents made them virtually indistinguishable in pocket change. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. Produced in 1863. New York City produced over half of all Civil War patriotic tokens, with additional output from Waterbury, Connecticut (center of the brass industry) and Cincinnati, Ohio (home of John Stanton and other prolific die sinkers).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 68/105a. Die pairing: obverse 68, reverse 105. 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 68/105a