(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-370H-1a, J.W. Peirce MI

Coin Details

Description

J.W. Peirce, a Grand Rapids merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Grand Rapids was a growing commercial center in western Michigan, famous for its furniture manufacturing and lumber industry. The 12 cataloged varieties for J.W. Peirce indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 370H-1a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 12 cataloged varieties, J.W. Peirce was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 370H-1a