(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-480G-2a, Tubbs & Spear MI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$100 AU53BN 01-12-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Tubbs & Spear, located in Hudson, Michigan. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 3 known varieties, Tubbs & Spear produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 480G-2a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Tubbs & Spear was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 480G-2a