(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-510L-1a, Wm. Frankfurth WI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$84 AU53 08-22-2021 Heritage Auctions

Description

Civil War-era store card from Wm. Frankfurth, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin business. Milwaukee was Wisconsin's largest city and a major brewing and manufacturing center, with its large German immigrant population strongly supporting the Union cause. Wm. Frankfurth issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 510L-1a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Wm. Frankfurth was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510L-1a