(No Date) Brass Civil War Patriotic Token F-54/296b, Army & Navy

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 54, a design featuring Benjamin Franklin's maxim "A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED", with reverse die 296 bearing the inscription "ARMY & NAVY" within a laurel wreath, often with crossed sabers. This tribute to the Union military was one of the most popular reverse legends, appearing on dozens of die combinations. This military and patriotic obverse die family encompasses a range of wartime themes — from specific slogans like "Millions for Defence" to general military tributes. These dies reflect the diverse patriotic sentiments expressed through the Civil War token medium. Struck in brass, a less common composition that gave the token a distinctive golden color distinguishing it from the copper standard. Although undated, this token was manufactured during the 1862-1864 period when private tokens circulated as emergency currency. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 54/296b. Die pairing: obverse 54, reverse 296. 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 54/296b