1863 Token F-120/256e GW-578 White Metal Horrors of War Civil War Patriotic

Coin Details

Auction Record

Description

The same die pair — Washington portrait obverse (120) and Horrors of War reverse (256) — is struck in tin-based white metal, producing a silvery piece that contrasts with the common copper version. White metal strikings of the Horrors of War token were produced in limited quantities, for collectors rather than circulation. The soft alloy would not have withstood the rigors of pocket change. The dramatic message takes on added visual impact in the bright white metal format. While copper versions of the Horrors of War token are obtainable with patience, white metal examples are genuinely scarce and command premium prices when they appear at auction. Washington medals provide a unique window into American material culture, documenting how successive generations have interpreted and presented the legacy of the nation's first president through the intimate medium of medallic art.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 120/256e in white metal.

Cross References

Fuld 120/256e; Musante-Baker GW-578; PCGS #788423