(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-299/350f, Army & Navy

Coin Details

Auction Record

$840 MS64 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 299, a patriotic or political design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 350 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. 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 silver, a rare composition reserved for special orders or presentation pieces. Silver patriotic tokens were produced in tiny quantities for collectors and dignitaries. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864, during the wartime coin shortage. 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 299/350f. Die pairing: obverse 299, reverse 350. Silver strikes are rare presentation or special-order pieces. 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 299/350f