(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150R-3a, A.W. Escherich IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by A.W. Escherich of Chicago, Illinois. Chicago was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world by 1860, rapidly becoming America's railroad hub and grain trading center with a population of 112,000. With 4 known varieties, A.W. Escherich produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 150R-3a) is common. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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.W. Escherich was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150R-3a