Civil War Tokens

jayboxx · November 13, 2012 10:55AM

I got this off someone here about 6-7 years ago (forgot who from) Still love it. Post yours if you got one.

coinsarefun · November 13, 2012 11:01AM

Very nice CWT.

Here is a Civil War Merchant token set

jayboxx · November 13, 2012 11:03AM

Very very nice. That first one especially :-)

coinsarefun · November 13, 2012 11:23AM

<< Very very nice. That first one especially :-) >>

Thanks, the was the last one to find it way to the heard......thanks to a member here

coinsarefun · November 13, 2012 11:25AM

Mark · November 13, 2012 11:41AM

I have a few but my photographs pale compared to the other photos in this thread. I am trying to convince my son to try his hand at taking better pictures but until then here are pictures of an NGC MS65RD F51-334 that I purchased several years ago.

LotsoLuck · November 13, 2012 12:44PM

LotsoLuck · November 13, 2012 12:45PM

ambro51 · November 13, 2012 2:02PM

Lakesammman · November 13, 2012 2:05PM

Posted this a bit ago - CWT's struck over US coins 1857-64.

Lakesammman · November 13, 2012 2:06PM

BTW, love the color on your token - was that from Brett??

LotsoLuck · November 13, 2012 2:38PM

Never mind posting this when I can

LotsoLuck · November 13, 2012 2:41PM

coinsarefun · November 13, 2012 2:42PM

<< Never mind posting this when I can

>>

I was wondering if you going to post this one

LotsoLuck · November 13, 2012 2:47PM

<< 

<< Never mind posting this when I can

>>

I was wondering if you going to post this one

Poodle pulling Mr Fingerling PotatoHead

TwoSides2aCoin · November 13, 2012 8:27PM

Have a few. No spam intended.

Broadstruck · November 13, 2012 9:10PM

1860 NY-1008 27.2mm and the 1862 NY-695A-1 29mm Civil War Issue R-6 on which you can see the date was re-cut along with addition of a second tree.

>>

yellowkid · November 14, 2012 12:29AM

Here is one, gone but not forgotten.

seanq · November 14, 2012 1:06AM

<< 1860 NY-1008 27.2mm and the 1862 NY-695A-1 29mm Civil War Issue R-6 on which you can see the date was re-cut along with addition of a second tree.

>>

>>

Very cool set, I noticed the overdate right away but I didn't see the second tree until I read your description.

I also noticed the last three letters of GENERALLY were recut on the reverse.

Sean Reynolds

garrynot · November 14, 2012 2:25AM

I remember that Capitol token from Eagle Eye. Here is one I got.

garrynot · November 14, 2012 2:44AM

<< BTW, love the color on your token - was that from Brett?? >>

Yes, Brett was with Eagle Eye when those were available.

BillJones · November 14, 2012 4:02AM

Here is a very rare Rhode Island CWT.

And you don't often see this Lincoln variety with this reverse. The hole is no problem because I'm quite sure that this was an original piece that was issued during the 1860 presidential campaign.

This is the more often seen Lincoln variety from the "Wealth of the South" series of tokens. And yes the Lincoln obverse die is a different one.

And here is the rarest Monitor die, the Indiana primitive.

And finally a Massachusetts classic, the Salamander variety. Tokens with just the "Good for a Scent" dog have become expensive enough, but the salamander adds some spice.

Zoins · November 14, 2012 4:08AM

Great CWTs everyone.

I especially like the "Success to Republican Principles" and "No Submission to the North" from a historical message perspective.

BillJones · November 14, 2012 4:24AM

<< Great CWTs everyone.

I especially like the "Success to Republican Principles" and "No Submission to the North" from a historical message perspective. >>

The "Success to Republican Principles" piece is not listed as a CWT. It is viewed as an early Lincoln campaign piece.

Here is an earlier version of it that was not quite a fancy - before the palm leaves were added.

seanq · November 14, 2012 5:14AM

<< Here is a very rare Rhode Island CWT.

I love this one, I've recently been looking at more CWTs on eBay as there are many clipped planchets and fascinating repunching errors to be found. I've seen other CWTs by this same engraver (one for a Bookseller jumps out), all in the Providence RI area, and they are distinctive because I can't think of another maker who used lower case lettering.

Anyway, this is the coin that got me really hooked on CWT die varieties, image and coin courtesy of savoyspecial. Note the dramatic repunching on the reverse (they all have that) plus the widely repunched date (they don't all have that, as I've seen the rabbit die paired with another obverse):

Sean Reynolds

Zoins · November 14, 2012 6:16AM

<< 

<< Great CWTs everyone.

I especially like the "Success to Republican Principles" and "No Submission to the North" from a historical message perspective. >>

The "Success to Republican Principles" piece is not listed as a CWT. It is viewed as an early Lincoln campaign piece.

Here is an earlier version of it that was not quite a fancy - before the palm leaves were added. >>

Thanks for the note and photos Bill. It's good learn more about the pieces and see the progression.

cwt · November 15, 2012 1:15AM

A patriotic CWT from the late Steve Tanenbaum's collection

garrynot · November 15, 2012 2:09AM

I like that, cwt, I have never seen that reverse before.

Justacommeman · November 15, 2012 3:20AM

Tasty examples so far. MJ

Cocoinut · November 15, 2012 6:34AM

<< A patriotic CWT from the late Steve Tanenbaum's collection >>

<< I like that, cwt, I have never seen that reverse before. >>

I looked this token up in my very old (1965) Fuld Civil War token book. At that time, this token was believed to have been unique (R10 on their scale) with the #71 obverse and #182 reverse, but this one and the one in the Fuld book do not appear to be the identical token, so apparently additional specimens have been found over the past 47 years. Does CWT or anyone else have a more recent Fuld book that provides more information? I'm just curious; this token has an unusual reverse for a Civil War token.

Jim

BillJones · November 15, 2012 7:29AM

My 5th revised edition, 2005, edition of the Fuld Patriotic variety book still lists it as an R-10. I don't know how much revision they do on the rarity ratings from one edition to another, but I would not get hung up on them. Yes, that die combination is rare, but does it impress me? No.

To me Civil War tokens are mostly of interest from the historical perspective. Therefore just because something is rare does not mean that my fingers are itching to get it. There are collectors who buy only the rarities. I buy anything that strikes my fancy from the historical perspective and perhaps the artwork perspective. As for rarity that only adds to the cost, which is not a good thing so far as I'm concerned.

The reverse of this piece looks like an unfinished trial die to me. There is so much unused open space. It may have been in production in 1864 when Congress passed the two laws to outlawed the used of CWTs as a substitute for money, and the die sinker didn't finish it. Later it may have been as a "vanity piece." Nevertheless there were collectors in 1864 and later who wanted unusual varieties. This might have been one of them. It was the, "I'm only guy in my (club, on my block, or among my peers) who owns one," syndrome.

There are a number of other die varieties listed in the Fuld book that are like this. For example #183 the buffalo, and #184 the hunting dogs. #139 which was once listed with the McClellan pieces is not delisted and labeled "non-contemporary" which l long suspected might happen. Years ago I got all of the McClellan varieties except that one. I thought by looks of it that it was not a true CWT and my suspicions turned out to be correct.

Just my two cents as less than totally committed, "I've got to have them all," CWT collector.

Cocoinut · November 16, 2012 2:41AM

Bill,

Thanks for your update and your thoughts on the #182 reverse. I agree that it is a possible die trial, perhaps for a store card rather than a patriotic token. That would explain its scarcity, as many CWT's were manufactured to order by increments of 500, 1000, or more. Of course, it's also possible that a large number were made, never issued, and were either destroyed or are still stashed away someplace. The mystery makes this token, and others produced under unknown circumstances, more interesting.

Jim

BillJones · November 16, 2012 3:09AM

Here is another lion on a CWT that I know was used for commerce, and this one is hard to find nice. I looked though the late Steve Tannenbaum's inventory for many years as a collector and dealer and only fround a couple of these pieces that were not badly damaged.

cwt · November 19, 2012 7:51AM

<< 

<< A patriotic CWT from the late Steve Tanenbaum's collection >>

<< I like that, cwt, I have never seen that reverse before. >>

I looked this token up in my very old (1965) Fuld Civil War token book. At that time, this token was believed to have been unique (R10 on their scale) with the #71 obverse and #182 reverse, but this one and the one in the Fuld book do not appear to be the identical token, so apparently additional specimens have been found over the past 47 years. Does CWT or anyone else have a more recent Fuld book that provides more information? I'm just curious; this token has an unusual reverse for a Civil War token.

Jim >>

Jim -- actually this same reverse die also appears on an R-5 storecard. There is an example of one in Steve Hayden's upcoming auction.
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Civil War Tokens

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