(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-250F-2a, G.A. Wheelock MI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from G.A. Wheelock of Dowagiac, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 250F-2a. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 2 known varieties, G.A. Wheelock produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 250F-2a) is common for this merchant. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Token issuers ranged from sole proprietors to large retail establishments, with some merchants ordering thousands of pieces while others had only a few hundred struck for local distribution. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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, G.A. Wheelock was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 250F-2a