(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-54/179do, The Federal Union, Stk on 1863 1C Patriotic Cent

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 54, a design featuring Benjamin Franklin's maxim "A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED", with reverse die 179 bearing a design featuring "Andrew Jackson". This obverse belongs to a family of military-themed dies spanning slogans, weapons, and patriotic declarations. The variety of designs in this range shows how die sinkers competed to capture the wartime public's appetite for patriotic imagery. The copper-nickel composition — the same alloy used for federal Indian Head cents from 1857 to 1864 — makes this a particularly faithful imitation of official government coinage. Produced in 1864. Die sinkers produced patriotic tokens on hand-operated screw presses capable of striking several hundred pieces per hour. The largest manufacturers maintained multiple presses and employed teams of workers to meet the enormous wartime demand.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 54/179do. Die pairing: obverse 54, reverse 179. 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 54/179do