(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-620D-3a, Andrew Haben & Co. WI

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 620D-3a — store card of Andrew Haben & Co., Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Wisconsin was a growing frontier state with Milwaukee as its largest commercial center, and its merchants issued tokens as practical solutions to the coin shortage. With 4 known varieties, Andrew Haben & Co. produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 620D-3a) is common among the known varieties. 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. The federal government's response to the coin shortage included issuing fractional currency in denominations as small as three cents, but these paper notes wore out quickly and were unpopular with merchants. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 4 cataloged varieties, Andrew Haben & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 620D-3a