(1864) Civil War Patriotic Token F-160/218e, Liberty For All

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 160, a political figure or patriotic design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 218 bearing a design featuring "America". These privately manufactured cent-sized tokens served as emergency coinage throughout the North from 1862 to 1864. Their production was an entrepreneurial response to the wartime disappearance of federal small change from everyday commerce. The white metal composition gives this token a silvery appearance that contrasts with the more common copper issues. White metal is softer than copper, so surviving examples often show greater wear or softer strike details. Produced in 1864. The end of the token era came swiftly in 1864 when Congress authorized new small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of a brief but remarkable chapter in American monetary history.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 160/218e. Die pairing: obverse 160, reverse 218. 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 160/218e