Posted 08/14/2010 08:49 am
This is a relatively scarce Civil War token of which there are well over 10,000 varieties; many different combinations of obverse and reverse dies. It's listed by Fuld as Patriotic 250/437. The star is obverse die #250, whereas the stocking is reverse die #437. The stocking die was also used on various Civil War storecards, having advertising. These were designed and struck by diesinker William K. Lanphear of Cincinnati.
This particular one is popular among collectors of Civil War tokens due to the North Star meaning. It's rated by Fuld as a rarity 6, R-6, suggesting that maybe 20-75 specimens are out there. However, I believe that rating should be a lower, R-5, and maybe 200 or more are out there. I base this belief on the fact that I have personally owned four specimens, and I've seen many more in dealers' stock, during my forty years of collecting tokens.
As to worth, your pictured token appears to be XF+ condition and would probably retail for $125-150. A typical VF would bring maybe $100. The last one I bought was a Fine for $50 at a show.
This particular one is popular among collectors of Civil War tokens due to the North Star meaning. It's rated by Fuld as a rarity 6, R-6, suggesting that maybe 20-75 specimens are out there. However, I believe that rating should be a lower, R-5, and maybe 200 or more are out there. I base this belief on the fact that I have personally owned four specimens, and I've seen many more in dealers' stock, during my forty years of collecting tokens.
As to worth, your pictured token appears to be XF+ condition and would probably retail for $125-150. A typical VF would bring maybe $100. The last one I bought was a Fine for $50 at a show.
