(1864) Civil War Patriotic Token F-56/436e, United Country

Coin Details

Auction Record

$264 MS63 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 56, a military-themed obverse with "OUR ARMY" inscription, with reverse die 436 bearing the inscription "UNITED COUNTRY". A concise expression of the Union war aim: the preservation of a single, undivided American nation. 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. 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. Bearing the date 1864. 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 56/436e. Die pairing: obverse 56, reverse 436. 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 56/436e