(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-1/436do, Strk Over 1859 C-N 1C Patriotic Cent

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 1, 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 436 bearing the inscription "UNITED COUNTRY". A concise expression of the Union war aim: the preservation of a single, undivided American nation. The French Liberty head was the most prolific obverse die family, with nearly thirty die varieties. These dies were cut by multiple manufacturers, primarily in New York City, and their classical design gave the tokens a dignified appearance that encouraged public acceptance. The copper-nickel composition — the same alloy used for federal Indian Head cents from 1857 to 1864 — makes this a particularly faithful imitation of official government coinage. Dated 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 1/436do. Die pairing: obverse 1, reverse 436. Copper-nickel is an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. 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 1/436do