(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-220E-3d, F. Fritz WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by F. Fritz, operating in Fonddulac, Wisconsin. 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. F. Fritz issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 220E-3d) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 9 cataloged varieties, F. Fritz was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 220E-3d