(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-95/368do, Not One Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 MS65 06-07-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 95, a patriotic or political design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 368 bearing the provocative legend "NOT ONE CENT" within a wreath. This seemingly contradictory inscription acknowledged the token had no legal-tender status while it simultaneously served as a cent substitute in everyday commerce. These privately manufactured cent-sized tokens served as emergency coinage throughout the North from 1862 to 1864. Their production was an entrepreneurial response to the wartime disappearance of federal small change from everyday commerce. Struck in copper-nickel, an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. The heavier copper-nickel alloy gave these pieces a silvery appearance and greater heft than standard copper issues. Produced in 1863. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 95/368do. Die pairing: obverse 95, reverse 368. 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 95/368do