(No Date) Civil War Patriotic Token F-54/430e, Penny Saved

Coin Details

Auction Record

$80 PCGS Genuine 12-24-2022 eBay

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 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. 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 white metal composition gives this token a silvery appearance that contrasts with the more common copper issues. White metal is softer than copper, so surviving examples often show greater wear or softer strike details. Undated, but produced during the wartime token era of 1862-1864 when Americans hoarded federal coins and merchants turned to privately struck substitutes.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 54/430e. Die pairing: obverse 54, reverse 430. White metal (lead/tin alloy) strikes are scarcer than copper. 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 54/430e