(1860-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-600E-5a, Steamer Lancaster TN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Stockman & Co. of Tennessee. Tennessee was divided during the Civil War. Nashville fell to Union forces in 1862, and merchants in Union-controlled areas issued tokens as emergency small change. The 12 cataloged varieties for Stockman & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 600E-5a) is common among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Die sinkers in major cities competed fiercely for merchant orders, offering stock reverses that could be paired with custom obverse dies featuring the merchant's name and business information. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 12 cataloged varieties, Stockman & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 600E-5a