(1864) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-160/417a, Liberty For All

Coin Details

Auction Record

$384 MS64BN 08-22-2018 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 160, a political figure or patriotic design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 417 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 copper composition ensured these tokens closely matched the weight, size, and color of federal Indian Head cents, facilitating their acceptance in daily transactions. Produced in 1864. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute. Americans began hoarding federal coins following the suspension of specie payments in December 1861, creating the currency vacuum that patriotic tokens filled. The token era demonstrated that private enterprise could fill a gap in the nation's monetary system when the government proved unable to maintain adequate circulating coinage.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 160/417a. Die pairing: obverse 160, reverse 417. 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 160/417a