(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-510AE-4a, Carl Paeschke WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Carl Paeschke, located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. Carl Paeschke issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 510AE-4a) is common for this merchant. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 6 cataloged varieties, Carl Paeschke was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510AE-4a