(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-480F-1a, Palmer & Goodsall MI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$156 MS61BN 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from Palmer & Goodsall of Hudson, Michigan, cataloged as Fuld 480F-1a. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 2 known varieties, Palmer & Goodsall produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 480F-1a) is common among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The Act of April 22, 1864 effectively ended private coinage by imposing penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine for producing unauthorized coins or tokens. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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, Palmer & Goodsall was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 480F-1a