(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-54/335j, 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. The copper alloy used for this token matched the federal cent specification closely enough that these pieces passed freely in commerce during the coin shortage of 1862-1864. The absence of a date is common for Civil War patriotic tokens. Production occurred primarily during 1862-1864 when federal coinage disappeared from circulation. Patriotic tokens circulated freely throughout the Northern states from mid-1862 through 1864. Merchants accepted them alongside genuine federal cents, and many tokens show heavy wear consistent with extended use in commerce.

Rarity Notes

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