(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-188/435d, Industry-United We Stand

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 188, an allegorical figure of Industry, personifying the productive Northern economy that sustained the Union war effort, with reverse die 435 bearing the motto "UNITED WE STAND, DIVIDED WE FALL". This proverb, attributed to Aesop, took on urgent meaning during the secession crisis. Shield and cannon obverses in this die range drew on heraldic and military imagery to express Union loyalty. These designs were popular because their bold, simple motifs reproduced well on the small cent-sized planchet format. 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. Bearing the date 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 188/435d. Die pairing: obverse 188, reverse 435. 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 188/435d