(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-890B-3a, John Eckhart WV

Coin Details

Auction Record

$100 XF Details 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

John Eckhart, based in Wheeling, West Virginia, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. 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. John Eckhart issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 890B-3a) is common for this merchant. 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. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily 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 5 cataloged varieties, John Eckhart was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 890B-3a