(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-910A-4a, Drovers Hotel MO

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 910A-4a — store card of Drovers Hotel, St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi and a vital Union stronghold, controlling river commerce and serving as a major military staging area. The 11 cataloged varieties for Drovers Hotel indicate a notable level of token production. This copper striking (Fuld 910A-4a) is common among the known varieties. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 11 cataloged varieties, Drovers Hotel was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 910A-4a