(1864) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-125/294a, Lincoln-Freedom

Coin Details

Auction Record

$384 MS62BN 06-23-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 125, a bust of George Washington, invoking the founding ideals of the republic to frame the Union cause as a continuation of the American Revolution, with reverse die 294 bearing the inscription "FREEDOM". An aspirational reverse linking the Union cause to the broader principle of human liberty. Washington obverse dies connected the Union cause to the nation's founding principles. The first president's portrait on Civil War tokens reminded Northerners that the republic Washington helped create was worth fighting to preserve. The copper alloy used for this token matched the federal cent specification closely enough that these pieces passed freely in commerce during the coin shortage of 1862-1864. Bearing the date 1864. Patriotic tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many tokens show heavy wear consistent with extended use in commerce.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 125/294a. Die pairing: obverse 125, reverse 294. Copper is the most common composition, representing the majority of surviving specimens. 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 125/294a