(1863) Civil War Store Card F-410A-1a, Coper Jas. Fr. Bodtker WI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$560 AU55BN 01-22-2023 eBay

Description

Coper Jas. Fr. Bodtker of Madison issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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, Coper Jas. Fr. Bodtker produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 410A-1a) is common. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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, Coper Jas. Fr. Bodtker was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 410A-1a