(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-560B-3b, A.J. Viele MI

Coin Details

Description

A.J. Viele, based in Lansing, Michigan, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 4 known varieties, A.J. Viele produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 560B-3b) is common for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 4 cataloged varieties, A.J. Viele was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 560B-3b