(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-180A-5a, N.O. Underwood TN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of N.O. Underwood in Dedham, Tennessee, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Tennessee was divided during the Civil War. Nashville fell to Union forces in 1862, and merchants in Union-controlled areas issued tokens as emergency small change. N.O. Underwood issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 180A-5a) is common. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 5 cataloged varieties, N.O. Underwood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 180A-5a