(No Date) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-444/452Aa, 10 Cents

Coin Details

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 444, a patriotic or political design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 452A bearing the denomination "10 CENTS". Patriotic tokens filled the currency vacuum created when Americans hoarded federal coins after the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. Die sinkers and token manufacturers stepped in to supply the cent-sized pieces that commerce demanded. Struck in copper, the dominant metal for Civil War patriotic tokens. Copper pieces were accepted interchangeably with federal cents by merchants throughout the North. Undated, but produced during the wartime token era of 1862-1864 when Americans hoarded federal coins and merchants turned to privately struck substitutes. 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 444/452Aa. Die pairing: obverse 444, reverse 452A. 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 444/452Aa