Frederick B. Smith - Civil War Die Sinker

Zoins

I was checking out Civil War dog tags and ran across this one from @DCW in the BST. It's made by Frederick B. Smith of New York and I was wondering how much information is known about him. I did some searches but couldn't find much. Is his middle name, birth / date dates, etc. known? Are there any ads by him that are known, etc.

Here's some info:

Fortunately, some of the die-sinkers included their names and/or initials on their creations. The most prolific name dropper was named Frederick B. Smith, who was born the day after Christmas in 1811. He kept his shop at 1221 ⁄2 Fulton St. New York, New York. From there he turned out several styles of McClellan discs (McClellan 1A and 1B), and one Lincoln disc (6A).49 Each bore some variation of F. B. Smith tucked in small letters under the shoulder of the bust on the obverse.50

• https://epdf.pub/identification-discs-of-union-soldiers-in-the-civil-war-a-complete-classificatio.html

His early pieces were done with his business partner Hermann Hartmann and have the "S&H" initials on the pieces.

1860 Merchant Token for Smith & Hartmann, Medalists, Die Sinkers, and Engravers in New York City
Miller NY 818 (Brass, 28mm, reeded edge, 3mm thickness) Very Nice UNC

Frederick B. Smith and Hermann Hartmann were partners from 1848 up until the start of the Civil War. They advertised themselves as Medal and General Die Sinkers and Seal Engravers. This store card is the only store card which advertises their services and it was produced near the end of the partnership. In addition to brass, it was also struck in copper and white metal. Hermann Hartmann died in 1865.

• https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-York-City-NY-818-Very-Nice-UNC-Smith-amp-Hartmann-Die-Sinkers-and-Engravers-/264396424064

Broadstruck

Here's another I posted with a write-up 6 years ago.

A 1860 Die-Sinker Merchant Store Card Token which will appeal to Indian Head Cent collectors <img src=https://us.v-cdn.net/6027503/uploads/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

1860 F.B. Smith & Hartman, New York, 29mm Diameter, Thick Brass, Reeded Edge, Miller NY-818 / Wright-1000, Rarity-4.

Although my images aren't doing it justice this specimen is fully proof-like obv/rev fields and blanketed with delicate rose patina. The obverse design features as Indian maiden wearing a bonnet facing left with a likeness to the contemporary one cent piece. This store card was struck on a extremely think planchet which do to weight quickly eliminated uncirculated survivors. Their operation was located at 122 Fulton Street in downtown Manhattan. F.B. Smith was partners with James Bale from 1835-1848, Bale & Smith they were prominent die sinkers throughout the the hard times era. In Smith 1848 formed a partnership with Herman Hartmann which lasted until 1865 when Hartmann passed away.



Due to the popularity of the obverse design this token has eluded me over the years even in AU condition. It's usually not seen near CH BU as most if uncirculated fall just below it. TPG wise I believe the best ever recall seeing was two MS62's along with a single MS63... This example here is the finest graded MS65 and is in a 10 year old slab from when NGC first started grading exonumia. Thickness wise this token is the same as the white acrylic that NGC uses whatever millimeter thickness that might be? Below are some poor images which show the fully proof like surfaces which pop when tilted under a light source.

Boosibri

Good read, thanks for posting

DCW

Bale and Smith were also responsible for the famous Atwood's Railroad Hotel Hard Times Token:
Maybe we can get @coinsarefun to post her awesome F.B Smith medal that uses the same Lincoln portrait as the Civil War dog tag.

kaz

Interesting thread , thanks for the link to the book download.

CWT1863

In the recently published book, Engravers, Minters, and Distributors of Civil War Tokens, Q. David Bowers has one page on Frederick B. Smith. Here is what he wrote:

Zoins

Good info @CWT1863!

Using the 1811 birth year, I found an entry on FindAGrave for a "Frederick B. Smith" which has a photo of his gravestone stating he died in 1900 and is buried in Newburgh, NY. He's father to Brigadier General Frederick Appleton Smith, a graduate of West Point. Still trying to track down his middle name. Not sure if this is the same Frederick B. Smith yet but it would be an interesting connection.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116516980/frederick-b_-smith

Zoins

Here's some additional info from cwtokenman on CoinTalk indicating Smith moved to Philadelphia in the late 1870s and worked with J.H. Diehl.

https://www.cointalk.com/threads/us-token-id.21156/

These token dies are ascribed to Frederick B. Smith (hence the "S" below Jackson's bust), who was located at 122 1/2 Fulton Street, New York City, N.Y. during the Civil War. He was born in New York City on December 26, 1811. Smith was a long time engraver, starting as an apprentice under the well known Charles Cushing Wright. At some point in the 1830s he became a partner with James Bale, at which time he engraved various merchant's cards and Hard Times tokens. Later he became a partner to Gustav Horst, and during the Civil War was partnered with Herman Hartmann.

Smith moved to Philadelphia in the late 1870s, and there was a publisher of medals with J.H. Diehl. He continued in his engraving profession until he was well into his seventies. Smith's token designs were rather simple, and often designs were repeated. Typically his dies were used to produce large numbers of tokens, basically until they were worn down and filled.

coinsarefun

@DCW said:
Bale and Smith were also responsible for the famous Atwood's Railroad Hotel Hard Times Token:
Maybe we can get @coinsarefun to post her awesome F.B Smith medal that uses the same Lincoln portrait as the Civil War dog tag.

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I have been trying to obtain a really nice Atwoods for so long. I'm thinking I will never own one

ms70

The area hasn't changed a bit.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.6805658,-73.9526561,3a,37.5y,10.86h,90.55t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sr8v-Xj2oTSYwB_l6PsAmbQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

DCW

@coinsarefun said:

@DCW said:
Bale and Smith were also responsible for the famous Atwood's Railroad Hotel Hard Times Token:
Maybe we can get @coinsarefun to post her awesome F.B Smith medal that uses the same Lincoln portrait as the Civil War dog tag.

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I have been trying to obtain a really nice Atwoods for so long. I'm thinking I will never own one

The nicest of the Ford examples sold last month for $4500. I thought somebody got a good deal.

The medal I'd like you to post has the Lincoln portrait by F.B. Smith like the one used on the dog tag in the OP. It is a variation on this design. Am I mistaken that you own such a medal?

Zoins

Nice post @DCW. That Atwood's Railroad Hotel token is the plate coin for QDB's book 2015 Whitman Guide Book of Hard Times Tokens.

Of note, QDB had 2 specimens sold in the same John J. Ford Jr. sale so I posted both here, including the specimen you noted.

Atwood's Railroad Hotel Token - PCGS MS63BN - Ex. QDB, John J. Ford, Jr.

• August 13, 2019: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-J4C5C/new-york-new-york-undated-1835-1838-atwoods-railroad-hotel-ht-221-low-201-w-ny-200-10a-musante-gw-152-baker-510a-rarity-6-co
• Previously sold in John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XXIII, August 2013, lot 22176.

Here's the TrueView again:

Atwood's Railroad Hotel Token - NGC MS63BN - Ex. QDB, John J. Ford, Jr., F.C.C. Boyd

The other specimen is a NGC MS63BN, John J. Ford sale XXIII lot 22179. This one is also attributed to F.C.C. Boyd.

• June 21, 2017: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-7KMO2/new-york-new-york-undated-1835-1838-atwoods-railroad-hotel-ht-221-low-201-baker-510-rarity-7-copper-thin-planchet-reeded-edg
• Previously sold in John J. Ford, Jr. Collection, Part XXIII, August 2013, lot 22179

coinsarefun

@DCW said:

The medal I'd like you to post has the Lincoln portrait by F.B. Smith like the one used on the dog tag in the OP. It is a variation on this design. Am I mistaken that you own such a medal?

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DCW

Found this die trial online, for sale by a Canadian jeweler. Alas, it had already been sold:

coinsarefun

Ahhhhh man that is stunning. If it was a Stacks auction I probably would have chased that one!

DCW

@coinsarefun said:
Ahhhhh man that is stunning. If it was a Stacks auction I probably would have chased that one!

Me, too. Dealer had it for sale online, and I enthusiastically wrote him with an intent to purchase. Instead, I received an email that the item wasnt in stock.

Well, why do you have it in your inventory with a price tag on it?! Aggggh