(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700D-1a, F. Elmlinger WI

Coin Details

Description

F. Elmlinger of Racine issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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, F. Elmlinger produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 700D-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. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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, F. Elmlinger was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 700D-1a