(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-510U-1a, A. Kleinsteiber WI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$281 MS64BN 04-28-2024 eBay

Description

Fuld 510U-1a — store card of A. Kleinsteiber, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. With 2 known varieties, A. Kleinsteiber produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 510U-1a) is common for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Token production during the Civil War represented the largest private coinage movement in American history, with an estimated 25 million pieces struck between 1862 and 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, A. Kleinsteiber was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 510U-1a