(1864) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-53/179a, The Federal Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 53, an Indian princess or Liberty head design with military inscriptions, with reverse die 179 bearing a design featuring "Andrew Jackson". 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. Copper was the standard metal for patriotic tokens, chosen because cent-sized copper pieces could pass as substitute federal cents in everyday commerce. Bearing the date 1864. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, and the introduction of fractional currency notes and new bronze two-cent pieces gradually eliminated the need for emergency tokens. Survival rates for patriotic tokens vary enormously by die combination, with some pairings known from thousands of examples and others from fewer than five specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 53/179a. Die pairing: obverse 53, reverse 179. 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 53/179a