1863 Civil War retailer Token

CIVIL WAR PATRIOTIC TOKEN ~ KNICKERBOCKER CURRENCY

Date: No date (1863)

Fuld #: 255 / 390 retailer – Rarity 1 (R1 indicates greater than 5000 of these were produced)

Material: Copper

Rim: Plain

Engraver: William H. Bridgens

Size: 13/16-inch / 20-mm diameter

Condition: VF to XF

Obverse: “Knickerbocker - Currency” around a dapper man with cane and coattails, and the engraver “Bridgens” name below, all inside a circle of small beads.

Reverse: “I-O-U - Cent” around the edge, with “1 Pure Copper” in the center circle with rays all around. The 2 heads on the sides face left.

Comments: This Patriotic Civil War token is in VF-XF or better original condition. The fields on both sides are nice and free of marks. It was stamped/minted slightly off-center. Very little rubbing/wear. There is a cut on the outer rim that appears at the eleven o'clock position on the obverse side/one o'clock position on the reverse side. There is an additional photo of that cut. The resolution limits of my camera are the best that I can give at this time.

According to the Internet: William H. Bridgens was the maker of the following Patriotic Civil War Patriotic Token Dies: 37, 120, 138, 202, 254, 255, 256, 390, 390A, 392, 393, 433, 434

From with Lower Manhattan, William H. Bridgens served mainly New York, New Jersey, Connecticut. Bridgens had a few customers as far west as Ohio and Illinois. He manufactured tokens for both “pro-Union” and “Copperheads”. While easily available, his tokens are frequently off-center and misaligned.

This Patriotic token will make a great addition to either your Civil War, or vintage token collection.