(c.1862) Medal Ordnance Dept. Tag Lead Uniface

Coin Details

Auction Record

$3,600 MS63 11-30-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

This lead uniface tag from the Ordnance Department, dating from circa 1862, represents a utilitarian military artifact from the Civil War era. Ordnance Department tags were used to track, identify, and manage military supplies — particularly weapons, ammunition, and related equipment — during a period when the Union Army was expanding at an unprecedented rate to meet the demands of the conflict. Lead was a practical material for tags due to its malleability, allowing text and numbers to be easily stamped or inscribed. The uniface (one-sided) format is typical of functional identification tags rather than commemorative medals. Civil War-era ordnance tags occupy the boundary between military artifacts and exonumia, collected by both militaria enthusiasts and token collectors. The Ordnance Department was responsible for the design, testing, production, and distribution of all military weapons and ammunition, making these tags essential components of the Union Army's logistics system during the largest military mobilization in American history to that date.

Rarity Notes

Scarce. Civil War ordnance tags in lead are utilitarian artifacts that survive in modest numbers. Many were discarded after use.

Cross References

PCGS #887234; Ordnance Department Tag; Lead Uniface; Civil War; c.1862