(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-54/335d, Our Army

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 335 bearing the inscription "OUR ARMY" within a wreath. A tribute to the Union Army defending the republic on battlefields across the South. This obverse belongs to a family of military-themed dies spanning slogans, weapons, and patriotic declarations. The variety of designs in this range shows how die sinkers competed to capture the wartime public's appetite for patriotic imagery. Struck in copper-nickel, an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. The heavier copper-nickel alloy gave these pieces a silvery appearance and greater heft than standard copper issues. This undated token was struck during the Civil War coin shortage era of 1862-1864, when most patriotic token production occurred. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, and the introduction of fractional currency notes and new bronze two-cent pieces gradually eliminated the need for emergency tokens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 54/335d. Die pairing: obverse 54, reverse 335. 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 54/335d