Civil War Tokens

[mhonzell]

So, I'm looking at this campaign "charm" under the scope. I think the reason the photos survived is that they are covered in a shellac. Here's another image. You can see the fine cracks in the surface.

[PetesPockets55]

That is interesting. I almost expected it to be mica, similar to the "encased postage stamps". But it does appear to be a lacquer or coating.

[mhonzell]

Okay, here's a weird one...

I have a NY630BV-2a, otherwise known as Story & Southworth. It was sold as a -1a, but hey... maybe they didn't have the books. Neither die used is of much consequence other than it was made by Emil Sigel. As you may have figured out CWTs are tracked by the combination of dies used, or by where it was made. So, NY630BV was made in New York, New York. The individual dies are: Obverse-NY630BV O-2, Reverse-1216. As you have seen their quality control wasn't always up to mint standard. So, on this particular token, if you look closely to the reverse near the date and UNITED, you'll see that the dies clashed hard enough to damage the 1216 die (eagle side). You can just make out the ampersand and Y (from STORY) inside the circle.

Funny part is, these die sinkers would mix and match their dies. A while back I posted a patriotic CWT by Emil Sigel that had some odd items on the eagle side, but I couldn't figure out how an ampersand got on the token when one doesn't exist on either die used. You can probably guess the rest of the STORY.

[Daniel]

Cool to find this out.

[Paul]

[mhonzell]

Look at that token above. I originally thought it was struck over another coin, but it turned out to be a die clash with another die not used on the token I was looking at.
I mentioned that those Die Sinkers would go to events and press token images over actual coinage. Just wanted you to know why I was a little confused.

Here's a token pressed over an 1859 Indian Head Cent. Token dies are Indian Princess (die 53) over Our Navy (die 336). Or, F-53/336-do. Made by Charles D. Horter.

[Paul]

[Daniel]

Very nice coin1

[PetesPockets55]

Neat and easy to see the confusion now that it is pointed out.
So at these events (conventions, marketing or sales exhibits), instead of using blanks they would use whatever was handy, even a real IH cent.
Must have tough carrying those "portable" presses from venue to venue!