(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-510AB-4b, Friedrich Miller WI

Coin Details

Description

Friedrich Miller, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Milwaukee was Wisconsin's largest city and a major brewing and manufacturing center, with its large German immigrant population strongly supporting the Union cause. Friedrich Miller issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 510AB-4b) is common to somewhat scarce. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, Friedrich Miller was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510AB-4b