(1863) German Silver Civil War Patriotic Token F-188/435j, Industry-United We Stand

Coin Details

Auction Record

$364 06-29-2012 Stack's Bowers

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. Struck in German silver (a copper-nickel-zinc alloy also called nickel silver), a scarce composition for Civil War tokens. The silvery appearance gave these pieces a more precious look than standard copper issues. Bearing the date 1863. The end of the token era came swiftly in 1864 when Congress authorized new small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of a brief but remarkable chapter in American monetary history.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 188/435j. Die pairing: obverse 188, reverse 435. German silver (nickel silver) strikes are scarce. 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 188/435j