(1864) Silver Civil War Patriotic Token F-160/218f, Liberty For All

Coin Details

Auction Record

$2,280 MS64 04-03-2024 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 218 bearing a design featuring "America". Civil War patriotic tokens were privately struck cent-sized pieces that circulated as emergency currency during 1862-1864, when wartime hoarding drained federal coinage from commerce. Over 25 million patriotic tokens were produced before Congress banned private coinage in April 1864. Struck in silver, a rare composition reserved for special orders or presentation pieces. Silver patriotic tokens were produced in tiny quantities for collectors and dignitaries. Dated 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. These tokens preserve the political sentiments, commercial practices, and artistic traditions of the Civil War home front in a format small enough to carry in a pocket.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 160/218f. Die pairing: obverse 160, reverse 218. Silver strikes are rare presentation or special-order pieces. 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 160/218f