Expert: Dmitry Livshits - 2/1/2010

Question
QUESTION: I found a coin looks like a penny. year 1863 union above 2 flags has 13 stars on front only big star on back any value at all or just a penny ?

ANSWER: Hi Tim,
You have a Civil War token (CWT for short), which was like a novelty version of a penny at the time. Many private merchants made and honored these as spending money.
They are highly collectible items with many types and varieties. Depending on condition, the token you describe would be worth anywhere from under $10 to $50+.
If you would like to post a follow-up question with a picture of the coin, I can give you more specific information on the condition and value.
Thanks for the question! =)

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: other side

Answer
Hi again Tim,
Your piece appears to be in very nice condition. This is one of over 7,000 types of tokens made during the Civil War. Many are specific to certain states, but this particular design with it's Jewish star is not identified as being from any one area.
A more exact auction estimate for your piece is $35 to $45.
I'm also going to paste this answer into the other question.
Thanks again for the questions! =)