1863 Civil War Token - Confirmed

Herb_T

I bought this at an auction for $40 figuring it wouldn’t financially crush me. I liked it is why I bought it. Has anyone seen this token before? Is it real or did I toss $40 out the window. If its real, will PCGS grade this or don’t they do tokens? It was advertised of being from 1863.

coinsarefun

Yes, it’s a real civil war token.. about worth what you paid and in my opinion not worth grading because the fees will cost more than the token. Enjoy it for what it is.

Herb_T

@coinsarefun said:
Yes, it’s a real civil war token.. about worth what you paid and in my opinion not worth grading because the fees will cost more than the token. Enjoy it for what it is.

Thank you for the reply. Can i give it an acetone bath? Or something else?

Zoins

This is Fuld-224/322 and PCGS does grade these.

Here's some info:

Fuld-224/322a (copper)

CoinFacts: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1861-65-token-f-224-322a-copper-federal-union-patriotic-bn/602895

Fuld-224/322b (brass)

CoinFacts: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/no-date-token-f-224-322b-brass-federal-union-patriotic/629345

coinsarefun

@Herb_T said:

@coinsarefun said:
Yes, it’s a real civil war token.. about worth what you paid and in my opinion not worth grading because the fees will cost more than the token. Enjoy it for what it is.

Thank you for the reply. Can i give it an acetone bath? Or something else?

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It appears to be copper so I would soak it in mineral oil with a lid that is airtight and check it every few month.
If it turns out to be brass acetone has a 50/50 chance at fixing/ruing it.
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I personally would soak it in mineral oil and see how it looks after 4-6 months.
If all the gunk comes off and it looks nice then I would consider submitting

291fifth

It is a civil war token but, at $40, a very overpriced one.

gumby1234

I have the exact same token only a dark brown color.

BillJones

@291fifth said:
It is a civil war token but, at $40, a very overpriced one.

It seems as if the prices for common Civil War token varieties have gone up dramatically. I was shocked to see asking prices of $50 or so at the summer FUN show for common varieties.

I am glad I have most all of the pieces I would like to collect. I remember when I started as a dealer, I bought over 100 assorted varieties from dealers at a show for around $1,100. I guess you could call those “the good old days.”

PerryHall

It looks fine just the way it is now---original and crusty just the way experienced collectors want it. Don't screw with it.

BillJones

The slogan, "The Federal Union, it must and shall be preserved," dates back to a quote from Andrew Jackson. During a Democratic Party Jefferson Day dinner (Today the Democrats call them "Jefferson and Jackson Day dinners"), Jackson and John C. Calhoun were pitted against each other over the issue of tariffs. Calhoun, who was leader of the South Carolina fire brands, was threatening to have his state leave the Union over the issue. Many saw slavery as the even more contentious issue.

At the end of meal, it was customary for the each leader to get up a give a toast. Jackson rose from his seat. and made the famous quote, "The Federal Union, it must and shall be preserved!" Calhoun rose from his and answered, "The Federal Union, next to our liberty most dear!"

This famous Hard Times Token, which has long had the distinction as the #1 variety in the Low and Rulau works marked the first appearance of the quote on a numismatic piece.

Here the slogan is on a Civil War Token that features Andrew Jackson in a heroic pose.

And here it is again on a piece that is part of special group of civil War tokens called "The Indiana primitives."

ricko

Nice old CW token... I would keep it as is.... If the gunk in the letters bothers you, a short acetone soak and a rose thorn will likely remove it. Cheers, RickO

Herb_T

Would a toothbrush after acetone bath be too much abrasion and leave marks? Or a soft bristle paint brush?

Oldhoopster

@Herb_T said:
Would a toothbrush after acetone bath be too much abrasion and leave marks? Or a soft bristle paint brush?

Short acetone soak (couple minutes max), roll an acetone soaked qtip over the areas (roll, don't rub), repeat if needed.

Personally, I think there is some corrosion under the F and N and you're going to expose areas of the reddish coloration like you see around PRESERVE, only worse. I wouldn't mess with it if I had it, but that's just my opinion.

calgolddiver

I agree with @PerryHall ... don't mess with it ... nice token as is

BillJones

I would leave the token in the OP alone. You might not be happy with what you uncover under the black guck.

There are ten minor die Civil War token varieties of the "The Union ..." slogan including a blundered die that has "BY" in place of "BE," which is die #223. It is not rare.

Here's the one I saved for type. Yes, the color is accurate.

BillJones

@Herb_T said:
Would a toothbrush after acetone bath be too much abrasion and leave marks? Or a soft bristle paint brush?

I would not let a tooth brush get anywhere near a coin. If a goat hair brush can give a copper coin hairlines, imagine what a tooth brush can do.

DCW

This one is very common, and I would not waste much time trying to improve its appearance. Nor would I slab it, as it has already been mentioned that the fees are worth more than the token.
Nevertheless, it is a neat piece which just might lead you down another path in numismatics as it has done for me. Good luck