(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-915A-2a, Ph. Carpeles & Co. WI

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Ph. Carpeles & Co. in Waterloo, Wisconsin, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. With 2 known varieties, Ph. Carpeles & Co. produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 915A-2a) is common. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Merchants in border states faced particular challenges during the coin shortage, as economic uncertainty and military activity disrupted normal commercial patterns more severely than in the interior. 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 2 cataloged varieties, Ph. Carpeles & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 915A-2a