A nice Capped Liberty Civil War Token that is facing right. LIBERTY above, 1863 date below with 6 stars on the right and 7 stars on the left. The reverse has a wreath with the center motto reading NOT ONE CENT FOR THE WIDOWS.
CWT’s with “not one cent for...” come in many different variations. It started with the hard times tokens in the 1830’s. It was a great opportunity to quote a wonderful political slogan created by Senator Robert Goodloe Harper. Quote: In 1798 at a dinner in Philadelphia honoring John Marshall, a group of U.S. Congressmen were discussing a recent demand made by the government of France. French vessels had been plundering US ships in a piratical manner. French foreign minister Talleyrand said the attacks would be stopped if the US paid him $250,000 and gave France 50,000 pounds sterling and a $100 million loan. As toasts were made, Harper sent his own defiant reply to the French with this toast: "Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute." Over time the quote was changed a little but the basic idea was left in tack. One of the most common slogans is “millions for contractors” on the obverse. Only the last word “tribute” was changed on the reverse. I’m not sure but I’ve read articles about the “not a cent for widows” to be referenced from the KJV of The Widows Two Mites. She gave all she had, her last 2 mites to the offering.
Sometimes, these counterfeit facsimile tokens got the obverse and reverse match mixed up by the sinkers. The OP coin token shown is about a rant that the government was spending like no tomorrow for guns and ammo and cannons and nothing for widows and orphans.
