PRODUCT DETAILS:

**1863 Civil War Token -  F-118-418A - Peace Forever

TOKEN HIGHLIGHTS:

• Extremely Fine to About Uncirculated details, old cleaning. 
• Obverse design features the portrait of George Washington facing right with two crossed flags behind.  Below the crossed branches is the centered date "1863" and 13 stars grace the top border.     
• Reverse design is centered by clasped, shaking hands with "SOUT" and "NORT" on the cuffs flanked by the wording "PEACE" and "FOREVER" surrounded by an open wreath.     
• All tokens come in protective plastic. 

From the outset of the Civil War, there was a shortage of government issue cents. Because the cents were hoarded and the public had no great love for the fractional currency of the day, copper coins were issued by many individuals.

Civil War Tokens are generally divided into two categories: merchant issues, and those with patriotic themes. The merchant tokens were issued to provide change and to advertise the dealer's wares. The patriotic types were simply used as a substitute for government coins and were produced at a profit by private manufacturers and put into circulation via various agencies.