(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-410G-2a, Madison Brewery WI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$660 AU53BN 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from Madison Brewery of Madison, Wisconsin, cataloged as Fuld 410G-2a. Wisconsin was a growing frontier state with Milwaukee as its largest commercial center, and its merchants issued tokens as practical solutions to the coin shortage. Madison Brewery issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 410G-2a) is common. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The Civil War token series provides one of the most comprehensive records of mid-nineteenth century American retail commerce, documenting businesses that left few other historical traces. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Madison Brewery was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 410G-2a