(No Date) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-299/350do, Army&Navy

Coin Details

Auction Record

$630 MS65 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 299, a patriotic or political design from the Civil War era, with reverse die 350 bearing the inscription "ARMY & NAVY" within a laurel wreath, often with crossed sabers. This tribute to the Union military was one of the most popular reverse legends, appearing on dozens of die combinations. Civil War patriotic tokens were privately struck cent-sized pieces that circulated as emergency currency during 1862-1864, when wartime hoarding drained federal coinage from commerce. Over 25 million patriotic tokens were produced before Congress banned private coinage in April 1864. The copper-nickel composition — the same alloy used for federal Indian Head cents from 1857 to 1864 — makes this a particularly faithful imitation of official government coinage. Although undated, this token was manufactured during the 1862-1864 period when private tokens circulated as emergency currency.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 299/350do. Die pairing: obverse 299, reverse 350. Copper-nickel is an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. 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 299/350do