My Hard Times and CWT tokens

[Bugmann1974]

I was bored and figured I would take some pictures of my hard times and civil war tokens. Can any of you guys help me with attributions? Also are there any one stop, tell all books to help identify these tokens? I hate having to ask people to research my stuff all of the time.

 

The Hard Times tokens.

 

#1

 

#2

 

#3

 

 

The Civil War Tokens

 

#1

 

#2

 

#3

 

#4

 

#5

 

#6

 

#7

 

 

[thebeav]

I never saw the 'spoot' variety in gold. Cool looking coin.

 

The Fuld book is probably the most important, at least for attributing CWT's.

 

Paul

[RI AL]

These tokens are kind of fun and I did dabble in them for a brief while. I think I have 12 in all...no big deal...but they are very interesting. "Standard Catalog of United States Tokens, 1700-1900" by Russell Rulau is an excellent reference but I understand that there are others that may also be good. I have the 3rd edition but I see on amazon.com that there is a 4th edition. "Patriotic Civil War Tokens" by George and Melvin Fuld is a small book which, I THINK has been incorporated into the Rulau book. Russ and Russell Rulau also have a 1996 book on "Hard Times Tokens". Check Amazon.com for more books on U.S. tokens. I'll see if I can identify any of the tokens you have but my edition is not the most current.

 

Here goes. The first one I believe is HT-33. Rarity 1, common. There are several varieties of this type but 33 seems to be the best match for yours. Values (1999 edition) VG $3.50, F $12, XF $30

 

 

The second one was a lot tougher because of missing obverse details but I'm going to guess HT-49, R-1. There are many varieties of this type. Values, VG $4.50, VF $35, XF $65

 

Continued later. RI AL

 

[RI AL]

Third one, Clark and Anthony Jewelers, HT-425 1835, R-1 values: vg $5, F-$10, VF $15, Unc. $150.

 

Next, Patriotic Civil War Token ( Union Must and Shall Be Preserved) # 137, R-1, Values, VG $5, VF $7, XF $10

 

Next, Knickerbocker Currency...F-138 is the obverse, but I can't find the reverse. So I can't be much help on this one.

 

The Army Navy Piece, F 322, Rarity1, Values: VG $5, VF $10, XF $10 (Would appreciate it if someone can confirm this as 322.) This is based on the reverse only as there are so many obverse coins with essentially exact appearance, I couldn't tell from the small photographs which obverse it is; F-219-226A

 

As of this point, I am totally confused and can offer little help. Someone out there must know this stuff and hopefully will jump in.

 

I'm stumped on the I O U 1 cent. Obverse looks like Patriotic Civil War token 11, but I can't find the exact configuration of IOU. Sorry!

 

Here's where I really run into trouble. The "rearing horse" is 179 and reverse is 267. (I think). I'm not sure how to look this up in the book as the 179 is a R-2, and the 267 is R-1. I know that often the same obverse (or reverse) was used on different coins, but I can't figure out the system to identify WHICH token this is with the 2 sides as described above.

 

No luck with the first "Shoot Him on the Spot". Too many varieties and I can't tell from the book photos which one matches. I think the obverse (flag) is 207.

 

The last one...another failure. I am assuming that the token is Brass, probably cleaned, 203, 207, 209, 210, 214, all have brass examples and they are R-4 or higher...some up to R-9. There is a gild piece (# 206) and several pieces are identified as "S'd". I can't find the translation of S'd.

 

Well, I don't think I've helped much!! What I am hoping is that someone who knows what they are doing with these tokens can fill in the gaps...or make corrections to my attributions.

 

RI AL...hanging head

 

 

 

 

 

[Golden Oldie]

I don't have a Fuld book so I found this website. I ID'd my Civil War token from there.

 

Token and Medal Society Home

 

www.tokenandmedal.org

 

 

 

Pat

[BillJones]

"Standard Catalog of United States Tokens, 1700-1900" by Russell Rulau is an excellent reference but I understand that there are others that may also be good.

 

Rulau's book is good for everything EXCEPT Civil War tokens. That section of the book leaves a lot to be desired. The coverage is poor, and the comments about "rare" and seemingly uncollectable tokens are sometimes inaccurate. At one time I three examples of one token in my inventory that he said were rare with no price listed. There were others I have in my collection that I acquired admittedly some years ago, that are not as rare as he claims.

 

If you want to collect Civil War tokens, get the Fuld books on the patriotic tokens and the store cards, and use Rulau for everything else.

 

[Bugmann1974]

The last one...another failure. I am assuming that the token is Brass, probably cleaned, 203, 207, 209, 210, 214, all have brass examples and they are R-4 or higher...some up to R-9. There is a gild piece (# 206) and several pieces are identified as "S'd". I can't find the translation of S'd.

 

You did great Al thank you very much.

 

Thanks for the book recomendations as well guys.

 

The "spoot" is not brass or gold. For some reason my camera over corrected the color. It is copper in MS RD and I don't think it has been cleaned.

 

Here is another photo of it but its kinda dark but it shows the color better.

 

[RI AL]

BillJones. I sure had trouble with the Standard Catalog. Couldn't figure out the system of matching obverse to reverse. I tried Fuld, but the pictures were just too darned small to be able to determine specific characteristics of different varieties (especially when there are a bunch with the same or very similar designs).

 

Do you know what "S'd" means???

 

RI AL

[RI AL]

Bugmann1974, nice picture and it sure shows the real color of the coin. I guess BRASS is off the table and I think we're back to copper.

 

RI AL

[Just Bob]

The last two:

 

#6 looks like obverse die 207 paired with reverse die 410

 

#7 looks like obverse die 209, and the "spoot" reverse die is 414

[michael]

great eye appealling cool historical tokens (thumbs u

[BillJones]

RI AL:

 

The books to buy for Civil War token attributions are Patriotic Civil War Tokens, fifth revised edition by George and Melvin Fuld and U.S. Civil War Store Cards by the same authors. The patriotic book includes plates that are called "DIE-O-GRAMS.” These are flow charts that provide step by step attribution points with words and pictures that make it fairly easy to attribute varieties that have very similar designs. There are also a couple of “DIE-O-GRAMS” included in the store card book although the attribution of that series is markedly easier.

 

The new edition of the patriotic book is not very expensive. It is well worth it, even if you don’t have an extensive collection of these tokes, for the historical notes alone. The store card book goes in and out of print sporadically and can be hard to find and expensive (up to $100). You can get some good deals on these books by joining the Civil War Token Society which offers them at reduced prices.

 

David Bowers has been promising an extensive revision to the store card book, but given the scope and size of the subject, even he has found that one difficult to tackle. I’m looking forward to his work, but he has bit off a lot in that he wants to include biographical information for EACH merchant. Having done a little bit of that work, I can tell that is a formidable task.

 

[RI AL]

Good morning, BillJones.

 

Thanks for the information. It is printed and filed with my token books so when I get around to attributing mine, I might just hunt for copies.

 

I still have no idea how to pair the obverse and reverse and come up with a F number so maybe your suggented books will educate me.

 

Many thanks. Much appreciated. RI AL