(1864) White Metal Civil War Patriotic Token F-42/336e, Our Navy

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 42, a military or patriotic-themed obverse design, with reverse die 336 bearing the inscription "OUR NAVY" within a wreath. A salute to the Union Navy, which maintained the blockade of Southern ports that strangled Confederate commerce. 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 white metal composition gives this token a silvery appearance that contrasts with the more common copper issues. White metal is softer than copper, so surviving examples often show greater wear or softer strike details. Produced in 1864. The end of the token era came swiftly in 1864 when Congress authorized new small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of a brief but remarkable chapter in American monetary history.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 42/336e. Die pairing: obverse 42, reverse 336. White metal (lead/tin alloy) strikes are scarcer than copper. 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 42/336e