(1864) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-56/229b, Our Country

Coin Details

Auction Record

$360 MS64 08-11-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 56, a military-themed obverse with "OUR ARMY" inscription, with reverse die 229 bearing the inscription "OUR COUNTRY". A powerful assertion of national identity and collective ownership of the republic. Dies in this military obverse range capture the martial spirit of the Northern home front. Slogans, weapons, and military insignia dominate these designs, reflecting the public's intense focus on the progress and prosecution of the war. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. Bearing the date 1864. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, and the introduction of fractional currency notes and new bronze two-cent pieces gradually eliminated the need for emergency tokens. Survival rates for patriotic tokens vary enormously by die combination, with some pairings known from thousands of examples and others from fewer than five specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 56/229b. Die pairing: obverse 56, reverse 229. 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 56/229b