Civil War Soldier’s Leather Change Purse with period coins & buttons

This is another neat item being offered; it is a soldier’s change purse. It is made of leather with two top brass closures, measuring approximately  3 ¼” x 3 ½”. This interesting artifact has three Civil War period coins. There is an 1863-cent, an 1847 large liberty-head cent, and an 1862-cent. There are also two Union eagle buttons, one coat size, and one cuff.

In the Fredericksburg Virginia Visitor Center and Museum, there is a change purse like this one which was removed from a dead Union soldier by at Confederate at the base of Marye's Heights (see pictures).

Obviously, these change purses were popular with the soldiers – remnants are a common find at Civil War camps and battlefields, but the leather is usually gone with only the metal parts remaining. Actually, I also have some of the metals parts on the website. There is another one of these change purses that was picked up from the Gettysburg Battlefield (see pictures).

This is a great piece and extra special having the coins still present. The leather is slightly worn, but solid and still snaps shut and opens. I have a similar example in my book “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items” (see pictures). It would make a great addition to a soldier's personal effects.