(No Date) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-222/325b, The Federal Union

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 222, a design inscribed "SHALL BE PRESERVED," completing Jackson's Federal Union quotation, with reverse die 325 bearing the inscription "THE FEDERAL UNION IT MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED". This famous phrase originated as Andrew Jackson's toast during the 1830 Nullification Crisis and was revived as a powerful declaration of Union supremacy. The "Federal Union" text obverse dies bore Andrew Jackson's famous toast — "The Federal Union — It must and shall be preserved." This was one of the most commonly reproduced patriotic inscriptions on Civil War tokens, appearing across more than ten distinct die varieties. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864, during the wartime coin shortage. 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.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 222/325b. Die pairing: obverse 222, reverse 325. Brass strikes are less common 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 222/325b