(1863) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-92/119a, Indian-Washington

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 92, 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 119 bearing a George Washington portrait or patriotic design. Washington's image invoked the founding ideals of the republic. Indian Head obverse dies were the second most popular family, closely imitating the design of the federal Indian Head cent introduced in 1859. By echoing James B. Longacre's official design, these tokens blurred the line between private and government coinage. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. Dated 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 92/119a. Die pairing: obverse 92, reverse 119. 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 92/119a