(No Date) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-105/355a, Not One Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$144 MS65BN 04-12-2023 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 105, a bust of George Washington, invoking the founding ideals of the republic to frame the Union cause as a continuation of the American Revolution, with reverse die 355 bearing the provocative legend "NOT ONE CENT" within a wreath. This seemingly contradictory inscription acknowledged the token had no legal-tender status while it simultaneously served as a cent substitute in everyday commerce. George Washington obverse dies invoked the founding ideals of the republic, framing the Civil War as a continuation of the Revolution. Washington's image on tokens drew a direct line from 1776 to the struggle to preserve the Union his generation created. 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. 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 105/355a. Die pairing: obverse 105, reverse 355. 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 105/355a