(1863) Civil War Store Card F-310F-1a, Waldo & Brandon's WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Waldo & Brandon's, a Jefferson, Wisconsin business. Wisconsin was a growing frontier state with Milwaukee as its largest commercial center, and its merchants issued tokens as practical solutions to the coin shortage. With 2 known varieties, Waldo & Brandon's produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 310F-1a) is common. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Waldo & Brandon's was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 310F-1a