(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-495B-1a, F. Sloan MI

Coin Details

Description

F. Sloan, an Ionia merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 4 known varieties, F. Sloan produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 495B-1a) is common. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 4 cataloged varieties, F. Sloan was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 495B-1a