(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-450D-1a, Farnams's MI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$408 AU55BN 12-16-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Store card of Farnam's in Hillsdale, Michigan, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 3 known varieties, Farnam's produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 450D-1a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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, Farnam's was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 450D-1a