(No Date) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-116/129a, Washington-Lincoln

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 116, a George Washington bust with flying eagle, a scarce die combination, with reverse die 129 bearing a portrait or inscription referencing President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln tokens are among the most sought-after Civil War patriotic issues. Washington obverse dies connected the Union cause to the nation's founding principles. The first president's portrait on Civil War tokens reminded Northerners that the republic Washington helped create was worth fighting to preserve. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864, during the wartime coin shortage. New York City produced over half of all Civil War patriotic tokens, with additional output from Waterbury, Connecticut (center of the brass industry) and Cincinnati, Ohio (home of John Stanton and other prolific die sinkers).

Rarity Notes

Fuld 116/129a. Die pairing: obverse 116, reverse 129. 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 116/129a