(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-495B-3a, 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. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 495B-3a) is common for this merchant. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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-3a