(1864) Civil War Patriotic Token F-96/284b, Eagle

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,526 MS63 09-26-2023 eBay

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 96, an Indian Head design modeled after James B. Longacre's federal cent, the most popular obverse family for patriotic tokens because its resemblance to official coinage helped these privately struck pieces gain public acceptance, with reverse die 284 bearing an American eagle. The eagle, America's national bird and heraldic symbol, appeared as an emblem of national unity. Indian Head dies ranked second in popularity among patriotic token obverses. Die sinkers imitated Longacre's federal cent design because merchants and the public already trusted that familiar image in commerce. 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 96/284b. Die pairing: obverse 96, reverse 284. 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 96/284b