1861 (1879) Scott Confederate Half Dollar Token. Breen-8003. White Metal. MS-62 (PCGS).；Silvery luster shines forth from the Scott token side, mellowed to deep gray in the fields, and free of the tin pest or raised oxidation which is so prevalent on examples in this composition. The reverse presents in attractive silver gray with abundant luster in the more protected areas. Very few marks of consequence are seen, and the overall eye appeal is strong. The soft metal of these tokens took the designs quite readily during the striking process, making them the most completely struck and well detailed representations available from the now untraced Confederate half dollar die.<p>The bright fields provide contrast to the numerous tiny rust spots that were in the die at the time of striking, showing that the Confederate die had seen better days in the 18 years between its manufacture and the striking of these tokens in 1879. Struck by J.W. Scott after acquiring the dies and before using it to "restrike" 500 1861-dated Liberty Seated half dollars into Confederate half dollars. Scott, worried that the die might fail in the process of striking the harder silver of the half dollars, produced these soft white metal tokens to have a marketable product to show for his efforts in the event of premature die failure. Fortunately for numismatics his worries were unfounded, as the die survived through 500 white metal strikes for the tokens, which he offered for 50 cents apiece in 1879, as well as through 500 "restrikes" on silver Federal half dollars.；
