(1863) Zinc Civil War Patriotic Token F-71/455i, Good For 25 Cents

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 71, an Indian Head design modeled after James B. Longacre's federal cent, the most popular obverse family for patriotic tokens because its resemblance to official coinage helped these privately struck pieces gain public acceptance, with reverse die 455 bearing the denomination "GOOD FOR ONE CENT". Stating a one-cent value made the token more readily accepted in commerce, though private tokens had no legal-tender status. Indian Head dies ranked second in popularity among patriotic token obverses. Die sinkers imitated Longacre's federal cent design because merchants and the public already trusted that familiar image in commerce. Struck in zinc, an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. Bearing the date 1863. Die sinkers produced patriotic tokens on hand-operated screw presses capable of striking several hundred pieces per hour. The largest manufacturers maintained multiple presses and employed teams of workers to meet the enormous wartime demand.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 71/455i. Die pairing: obverse 71, reverse 455. Zinc strikes are uncommon. 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 71/455i