(No Date) Copper-Nickel Civil War Patriotic Token F-332/336d, Our Army-Our Navy

Coin Details

Auction Record

$216 MS63 01-12-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War patriotic token combining Fuld obverse die 332, a design inscribed "OUR ARMY — OUR NAVY", with reverse die 336 bearing the inscription "OUR NAVY" within a wreath. A salute to the Union Navy, which maintained the blockade of Southern ports that strangled Confederate commerce. 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. Struck in copper-nickel, an uncommon composition for Civil War tokens. The heavier copper-nickel alloy gave these pieces a silvery appearance and greater heft than standard copper issues. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864, during the wartime coin shortage. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute. Americans began hoarding federal coins following the suspension of specie payments in December 1861, creating the currency vacuum that patriotic tokens filled.

Rarity Notes

Fuld 332/336d. Die pairing: obverse 332, reverse 336. 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 332/336d