(1864) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-129/142b, Lincoln-McClellan

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 129, a portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the wartime Commander-in-Chief whose image served as both political endorsement and patriotic rallying symbol, with reverse die 142 bearing a portrait or inscription referencing General George B. McClellan. McClellan commanded the Army of the Potomac and ran against Lincoln in 1864. Lincoln obverse dies are prized by collectors for their direct connection to the wartime president. These tokens served both as emergency currency and as portable political endorsements of the Union cause and its leader. The brass composition, while less common than copper, produced tokens with a distinctive yellow-gold appearance. Waterbury, Connecticut — the brass capital of America — supplied much of the raw material for token production. Bearing the date 1864. New York City produced over half of all Civil War patriotic tokens, with additional output from Waterbury, Connecticut (center of the brass industry) and Cincinnati, Ohio (home of John Stanton and other prolific die sinkers).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 129/142b. Die pairing: obverse 129, reverse 142. Brass strikes are less common 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 129/142b