(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-201/295d, Our Union

Coin Details

Auction Record

$132 MS63 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 201, a design depicting the American flag circled by thirteen stars inscribed "THE FLAG OF OUR UNION," one of the most popular obverse die families, expressing loyalty to the national standard, with reverse die 295 bearing the inscription "FREEDOM". An aspirational reverse linking the Union cause to the broader principle of human liberty. "Flag of Our Union" obverses were produced in large quantities because the American flag was the single most powerful patriotic symbol available. These dies were versatile workhorses, paired with dozens of different reverse dies to create hundreds of distinct varieties. The copper-nickel composition — the same alloy used for federal Indian Head cents from 1857 to 1864 — makes this a particularly faithful imitation of official government coinage. Although undated, this token was manufactured during the 1862-1864 period when private tokens circulated as emergency currency.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 201/295d. Die pairing: obverse 201, reverse 295. Copper-nickel is an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. 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 201/295d