(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-185A-3d, C.W. Smith WI

Coin Details

Description

C.W. Smith, an East Troy merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. 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. The 12 cataloged varieties for C.W. Smith indicate a notable level of token production. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 185A-3d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 12 cataloged varieties, C.W. Smith was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 185A-3d