(No Date) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-231/352Ab, Our Country

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 231, a military or naval design, with reverse die 352A bearing crossed cannons with military implements. Die 352A is a variant of die 352's crossed cannon design. Dies in this range encompass naval scenes, constitutional inscriptions, and fraternal symbols. The variety demonstrates that Civil War tokens served not only as emergency currency but also as miniature propaganda platforms for causes ranging from Union patriotism to fraternal solidarity. The brass composition, while less common than copper, produced tokens with a distinctive yellow-gold appearance. Waterbury, Connecticut — the brass capital of America — supplied much of the raw material for token production. Although undated, this token was manufactured during the 1862-1864 period when private tokens circulated as emergency currency. 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 231/352Ab. Die pairing: obverse 231, reverse 352A. 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 231/352Ab