Excessively Rare "Rice and Byers" One Dollar Sutler Token from Fort Sill in the Indian Territory

c. 1870

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Excessively Rare "Rice and Byers" One Dollar Sutler Token from Fort Sill in the Indian Territory
Historical artifacts
1 page | SMC 864

Quick Reference

      Background

      Perhaps Frank R. Rice and Joseph K. Byers met at Fredericksburg, where both men, Union officers, were wounded: Rice lost a leg there and Byers, an arm. But be that as it may, they joined forces within the decade to operate the Trading Post at Fort Sill, Indian Territory (now Oklahoma), during the 1870s. This token for a dollar hails from that enterprise; and whether it is the sole example extant, or one of as many as four, it is of very great rarity.
      Brass, 26mm. Obverse lettering is mostly clear except for faintness at the bottom two lines. Schenkman U100B; Curto 239; Fuld NL-33b.

      Of utmost rarity: R9 (between one and four tokens known).
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      all pages and transcript

      Page 1/2

      Page 1 transcript
      SUTLER CHECK / REDEEMED / IN / GOODS TO / SOLDIERS / ONLY / BY RICE & BYERS

      Page 2/2

      Page 2 transcript
      ONE DOLLAR