1863 Token F-105/199b GW-621 Brass Washington Star-Eagle Ribbon

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 MS66 11-18-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

The 1863 Civil War patriotic token F-105/199b (GW-621) in brass pairs Washington's portrait (die 105) with a star-and-eagle-with-ribbon reverse design (die 199). The ribbon element on the reverse distinguishes this die pair from the F-105/198 combination. The "b" suffix indicates brass composition. Die 199 with its ribbon motif represents one of the many minor variations that make Civil War token collecting endlessly detailed. Die sinkers during the war years produced hundreds of different dies, and the various obverse-reverse combinations create a complex matrix of collectible varieties. The Fuld system of tracking each die independently allows collectors to identify precisely which combination produced any given token. Brass composition gives this token a golden warmth that distinguishes it from the more common copper strikings. Civil War tokens in all metals were produced by private manufacturers — primarily in Cincinnati, New York, and other northern cities — and distributed through networks of merchants who used them as small change.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 105/199b in brass. Brass variant is less common than copper. Die pair 105/199 with ribbon reverse is distinct from 105/198.

Cross References

Fuld 105/199b; Musante-Baker GW-621; PCGS #655787