ID 1863 coin?

[Guy Gane III]

Gentlemen,

My apologies to the mods, I didn't know where to put this thread.

I recently found a coin that was in a box of CW stuff that my father gave to me a while back.

I have no idea what it is (my guess is a sutler's coin), and I figured I would put this original item up here for discussion to see if anyone could enlighten me as to what it truly is.

Sorry, I wish I could have posted better pics but here goes... (they got switched around...)

Picture 3:
This is a scale pic to show size... duh.

Picture 1:
Detail of front of coin. Inscription reads : "The Flag Of Our Union" "1863" also showing a flag motif with 25 stars.

Picture 2:
Detail of reverse of coin. Inscription reads: "If Anybody Attempts To Tear It Down * Shoot Him * On The Spot" and in the center is the name "Dix".

Do YOU know what it is?? :sarcastic

Thanks,

[FlatLandFed]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Gentlemen,

My apologies to the mods, I didn't know where to put this thread.

I recently found a coin that was in a box of CW stuff that my father gave to me a while back.
…
Do YOU know what it is?? :sarcastic

Thanks,

Friend Gane,
I don't see the pics, but here's a link to someone who's trying to help identify a coin/chit of mine. (Some would suggest I try the PGA shop, as they think it's a golf marker lol.)
Try: CivilWarTokens@aol.com
Good luck,
Paul Hadley

[FlatLandFed]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Friend Gane,
I don't see the pics, but here's a link to someone who's trying to help identify a coin/chit of mine. (Some would suggest I try the PGA shop, as they think it's a golf marker lol.)
Try: CivilWarTokens@aol.com
Good luck,
Paul

Oh, of course NOW your images are coming through fine! Sorry -- I hope others can help you with info.
Paul Hadley

[Dignann]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Guy,

There seem to be quite a few for sale on the Internet, including some variants currently on eBay. I'm no numismatist, but your coin appears to be a patriotic token. The prevailing opinion seems to be that they are indeed authentic and were made during the war. It probably held no real value during the war and today they sell in the $15 - $50 range. There is a variant of the one you own that contains a typo and reads "spoot" instead of "spot."

I'd still check with an expert or coin dealer to be sure.

Eric

[Jimmayo]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

They were used during the war and used to be found in 1864 areas (especially Petersburg) quite frequently.

[ScottCross]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Maybe someone with a better knowledge of Latin can help me here, but I think "Dix" means ten (10). Perhaps a 10 cent token. Patriotic themes on store tokens are pretty common during the war years. This may be a generic one, since it doesn't list a sutler or store. My educated guess, any way.

PS: Dix is ten (10) in French.

[ley74]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Scott:

Dead-on. It a $.10 generic sutler token.

(No jokes about golf ball markers this time.)

[Guy Gane III]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

Thank you, all, so much for your replies. I figured it was a sutler coin.

Figures I didn't know what "Dix" meant. I took German and Italian in high school and college. haha. (I should know it though since I live so close to Canada! )

Cheers,

[Bob McDonald]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

"Dix" refers to John Adams Dix, the author of the cited quote. A pre-war army officer, U. S. senator, and carry-over secretary of the treasury from the Buchanan cabinet, Dix thereafter served as major general and departmental commander (VA/East) from mid-1862 through the close of the war. While still heading the treasury, in January 1861, he authored instructions telegraphed to the treasury office at New Orleans, wherein he ordered that any attempt to take over a revenue cutter should be fully resisted, and that "If anyone attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot." Being widely reported in newspapers at the time, Dix's quote became an enormously popular northern patriotic sentiment, appearing on envelopes, tokens, etc.

In general, cent-tokens were widely in circulation due to hoarding of federal coinage, until outlawed in 1864. Among a broad array of patterns, yours was one of the most popular tokens in use.

Cheers,

Bob McDonald
(Who lives near Fort Dix, NJ;yep, same guy.)

[Guy Gane III]

Re: ID 1863 coin?

... yours was one of the most popular tokens in use.

Cheers,

Bob McDonald

Sweet... thanks! :D