(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-125/417d, Abm. Lincoln-America

Coin Details

Auction Record

$900 MS65 04-26-2022 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 417 bearing a design featuring "America". 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. Struck in copper-nickel, an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. The heavier copper-nickel alloy gave these pieces a silvery appearance and greater heft than standard copper issues. Bearing the date 1864. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 125/417d. Die pairing: obverse 125, reverse 417. Copper-nickel is an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. 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 125/417d