(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-370A-1a, Geo. P. Barnard MI

Coin Details

Description

Geo. P. Barnard of Grand Rapids issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Grand Rapids was a growing commercial center in western Michigan, famous for its furniture manufacturing and lumber industry. With 2 known varieties, Geo. P. Barnard produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 370A-1a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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, Geo. P. Barnard was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 370A-1a