The E-Sylum:  Volume 8, Number 43, October 9, 2005, Article 4

FAKE CONFEDERATE ID DISCS REVIEWED

Last week I reviewed Peter Bertram's booklet on the
Southern Cross of Honor, and mentioned his earlier
publication, "Fake Confederate ID Discs." I've
obtained a copy and would also recommend it to anyone
with an interest in military medals, Civil War history, or
medals and numismatics in general. It does a fine job of
documenting a slew of fakes that have been making the
rounds and fooling a number of collectors into parting with
cash for a fantasy piece. The author writes: "I somehow can't
help but feel that these fakes are the cruelest hoax of all to
invade our hobby. Imagine spending a good deal of hard
earned money to acquire a priceless coin that is engraved
with the name of a Confederate soldier who actually carried
it as an ID Disc during the War Between the States. What
a treasure to be cherished - until you discover the someone
is producing them in quantity and you're being ripped off!"

There was no widespread production of ID tags ("dog tags"
in later years) in the South during the War Between the States.
Almost more than death, the average soldier feared being killed
and buried in some remote place where his family would never
know what happened to him, much less find him. Soldiers thus
fashioned their own ID devices out of almost any material -
wood, metal, paper and yes, even coins. If you are lucky
enough to acquire one, original Confederate ID items are
extremely rare and quite expensive."

The booklet focuses on fakes of engraved coin-based ID
tags. The fakes are of silver U.S. Half Dollar or Dollar coins
engraved with the name of a soldier and other identifying
information. Several of the fakes are pictured full size.

The book also pictures an authentic ID disc engraved by
Robert Lovett. The author writes: "This ID Disc did not
receive much use until after the War Between the States,
but it then saw scattered employment through the Spanish
American War and on up to WWI. I show it here as a
warning to collectors. I have seen two cast examples of
this disc (two difference sellers) with a Confederate soldier
name and unit ID engraved on each one."

The item is listed in the 2nd edition of "Medallic Portraits
of Washington" by Russell Rulau and George Fuld. See
Chapter 34, "Miscellany" under "Civil War Dog Tags",
Baker nos. 621 and 621A.

To order a copy of the booklet, see last week's E-Sylum
or contact the author via email at: peterbatl at aol.com.
The price is $5 + $1 shipping, signed upon request.

This web page describes and pictures a Union soldier's ID disc: Full Story

The most famous Confederate ID coin is probably the double
eagle good-luck piece of Lt. George E. Dixon, commander of
the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley, which we discussed
a great deal in earlier E-Sylum issues.
Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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