(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700A-2a, G.A. Colby & Co. MI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by G.A. Colby & Co. of Niles, Michigan. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 2 known varieties, G.A. Colby & Co. produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 700A-2a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token issuers ranged from sole proprietors to large retail establishments, with some merchants ordering thousands of pieces while others had only a few hundred struck for local distribution. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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, G.A. Colby & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 700A-2a