(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-890A-6a, Bassett's WV

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Bassett's, operating in Wheeling, West Virginia. West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863 to remain in the Union. Its merchants produced tokens to address the coin shortage in the newly formed state. The 13 cataloged varieties for Bassett's indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 890A-6a) is common among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 13 cataloged varieties, Bassett's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 890A-6a