(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-300C-3a, Chapmans WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Lappins, located in Janesville, 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. With 3 known varieties, Lappins produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 300C-3a) is common among the known varieties. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Lappins was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 300C-3a