(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-700G-1a, Thos. Falvey WI

Coin Details

Description

Thos. Falvey, a Racine merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 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. Thos. Falvey issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 700G-1a) is common among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Thos. Falvey was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 700G-1a