(1860) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150AZ-4a, F.E. Rigby IL

Coin Details

Description

F.E. Rigby, based in Chicago, Illinois, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Chicago's explosive growth as a railroad and commodity trading center made it Illinois' primary source of Civil War store cards. F.E. Rigby issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 150AZ-4a) is common. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 5 cataloged varieties, F.E. Rigby was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AZ-4a