(1863) White Metal Civil War Patriotic Token F-15/319e, Army & Navy

Coin Details

Auction Record

$264 MS63 04-03-2024 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 15, a French-style Liberty head facing left surrounded by thirteen stars, the most common obverse die family on Civil War patriotic tokens, with reverse die 319 bearing the inscription "ARMY & NAVY" within a laurel wreath, often with crossed sabers. This tribute to the Union military was one of the most popular reverse legends, appearing on dozens of die combinations. As part of the most extensive obverse die family, French Liberty heads were mass-produced by competing die sinkers in New York and Connecticut. The classical bust design was popular precisely because it looked like official government coinage. Struck in white metal (a lead-tin alloy), producing a silvery appearance. White metal tokens are scarcer than copper and often show softer details due to the alloy's lower hardness. Dated 1863. Patriotic tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many tokens show heavy wear consistent with extended use in commerce.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 15/319e. Die pairing: obverse 15, reverse 319. White metal (lead/tin alloy) strikes are scarcer than copper. 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 15/319e