(No Date) Copper Civil War Patriotic Token F-509/519a, John Bell-Uniface

Coin Details

Auction Record

$1,320 MS65BN 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 509, a portrait of John Bell, the Constitutional Union candidate in 1860 who drew Whig and Know-Nothing support, with reverse die 519 bearing a design featuring "Blank". Benjamin True of Cincinnati produced this political campaign die series featuring the 1860 presidential candidates. The series includes both pro-Union and pro-Southern designs, making it a unique numismatic record of the deeply divided political landscape on the eve of war. This copper striking represents the standard composition for patriotic tokens. Die sinkers chose copper because its properties — malleability, durability, and cent-like appearance — made it ideal for mass-produced emergency currency. This undated token was struck during the Civil War coin shortage era of 1862-1864, when most patriotic token production occurred. The Fuld catalog documents over 10,000 distinct die combinations for patriotic tokens, making this one of the most complex series in all of American numismatics. Many die pairings are known from only a handful of surviving specimens.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 509/519a. Die pairing: obverse 509, reverse 519. 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 509/519a