(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-745A-1a, J.R. Foote MI

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.R. Foote in Paw Paw, Michigan, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 2 known varieties, J.R. Foote produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 745A-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 Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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, J.R. Foote was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 745A-1a