(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150AZ-1a, F.E. Rigby IL

Coin Details

Auction Record

$288 MS64BN 03-31-2021 Stack's Bowers

Description

F.E. Rigby, a Chicago merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 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-1a) is common. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Die sinkers in major cities competed fiercely for merchant orders, offering stock reverses that could be paired with custom obverse dies featuring the merchant's name and business information. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 5 cataloged varieties, F.E. Rigby was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AZ-1a