(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-250A-1a, A.N. Alward MI

Coin Details

Description

A.N. Alward of Dowagiac issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Michigan was a significant industrial state during the Civil War, with Detroit emerging as a major manufacturing center and merchants across the state producing tokens. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 250A-1a) is common for this merchant. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 1 cataloged varieties, A.N. Alward was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 250A-1a