(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-587A-1a, Bauder & Button MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Bauder & Button of Lyons, Michigan. Michigan was a significant industrial state during the Civil War, with Detroit emerging as a major manufacturing center and merchants across the state producing tokens. With 3 known varieties, Bauder & Button produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 587A-1a) is common. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The Act of April 22, 1864 effectively ended private coinage by imposing penalties of up to five years imprisonment and a $2,000 fine for producing unauthorized coins or tokens. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Bauder & Button was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 587A-1a