(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-620F-1a, Hay & Clark WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Hay & Clark, operating in 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 2 known varieties, Hay & Clark produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 620F-1a) is common. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The Civil War token series provides one of the most comprehensive records of mid-nineteenth century American retail commerce, documenting businesses that left few other historical traces. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 2 cataloged varieties, Hay & Clark was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 620F-1a