Tell me more! What is a cavalry token?

[NH Civil War Gal]

I saw one for sale, quite expensive, online. It was from a PA unit and dug in Virginia. I'm not going to buy it but I had not thought of anything being a token - only coins or specie.

 

[UCVRelics]

I saw one for sale, quite expensive, online. It was from a PA unit and dug in Virginia. I'm not going to buy it but I had not thought of anything being a token - only coins or specie.

Is it a sutlers token? If so if it was made for a particular unit they can be quite rare. They were used as change so that when a soldier bought something from a sutler thay would get them back in change which was pretty smart on the sutlers part. Some sutlers had tokens made with the regiments numbers.

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

It didn't say but I'm guessing that's what it was and that makes a lot of sense. Thank you!

 

[JOHN42768]

Added money maker, as good chance the soldier would never cross each others paths again

 

[UCVRelics]

Added money maker, as good chance the soldier would never cross each others paths again

Yes but then I have read where some sutlers stayed with a unit throughout an entire campaign which are the one where the sutler would have tokens made with the sutlers name as well as the unit they were following around. Most sutlers tokens just have the sutlers name and amount the token war worth.

 

[JOHN42768]

That would work except for the killed, wounded, transferred and captured. Then it would be extra profit

 

[connecticut yankee]

Yep--- a sutler's token (i.e., script). It was issued by John Metcalf, sutler for the 3rd Ohio Cavalry.

Also here's a couple more sutler tokens that were auctioned off last year, including a Metcalf token:

Civil War Tokens for Identified Sutlers, V. Beaudry, John Metcalf and S.W. Beall

Small copper token, approx. 0.75 in. Recto with "One 100 Dollar"; verso with "V. Beaudry, 1st Reg, U.S. Cavalry." Small copper token, approx. 0.75 in. "John I. Metcalf / 3rd Reg. O. Cav. U.S.A. / 25 cents in Goods." Small hole punched in edge. Verso blank...

www.cowanauctions.com