(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-10H-4aa, D.L. Wing & Co. NY

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by D.L. Wing & Co. of New York. D.L. Wing & Co. operated as flour merchants at 318 Broadway in Albany, marketing their product under the patriotic brand name "Union Flour." The tokens feature wheat stalks flanking the inscription, reflecting Albany's position as a major grain milling center on the Erie Canal. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 10H-4aa) is common for this merchant. 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. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 18 cataloged varieties, D.L. Wing & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 10H-4aa