(1864) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-241/338b, Monitor

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,020 MS66 04-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 241, a naval, Monitor, or patriotic design, with reverse die 338 bearing the USS Monitor, the Union's revolutionary ironclad warship. The Monitor's March 1862 battle with the CSS Virginia captured the Northern imagination. Dies in this range encompass naval scenes, constitutional inscriptions, and fraternal symbols. The variety demonstrates that Civil War tokens served not only as emergency currency but also as miniature propaganda platforms for causes ranging from Union patriotism to fraternal solidarity. 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. Produced in 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 241/338b. Die pairing: obverse 241, reverse 338. 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 241/338b