Civil War token reading “Our Country” with military motif

Being offered a Civil War token. It is the size of a one-cent coin. The obverse of this Civil War token shows a Phrygian cap atop a pole amidst flags, drum and canon, upon each is read “UNION” and “76”, surrounded by a wreath. The reverse reads “OUR COUNTRY” beneath a laurelled shield all surrounded by a continuous wreath.

Civil War tokens are token coins that were privately minted and distributed in the United States between 1861 and 1864. They were used mainly in the Northeast and Midwest. The widespread use of the tokens was a result of the scarcity of government-issued cents during the Civil War.

They became illegal after the United States Congress passed a law on April 22, 1864, prohibiting the issue of any one or two-cent coins, tokens or devices for use as currency. On June 8, 1864, an additional law was passed that forbade all private coinage.