(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-151/430a, Penny Saved

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 151, a political figure or patriotic design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 430 bearing Benjamin Franklin's maxim "A PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED". Franklin's thrift wisdom resonated during a period when actual pennies were being hoarded. Civil War patriotic tokens were privately struck cent-sized pieces that circulated as emergency currency during 1862-1864, when wartime hoarding drained federal coinage from commerce. Over 25 million patriotic tokens were produced before Congress banned private coinage in April 1864. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. The absence of a date is common for Civil War patriotic tokens. Production occurred primarily during 1862-1864 when federal coinage disappeared from circulation.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 151/430a. Die pairing: obverse 151, reverse 430. Copper is the most common composition, representing the majority of surviving specimens. 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 151/430a