(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-510R-4d, Ch. Hermann & Co. WI

Coin Details

Auction Record

$480 MS63 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Ch. Hermann & Co., based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. The 15 cataloged varieties for Ch. Hermann & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 510R-4d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. 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-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 15 cataloged varieties, Ch. Hermann & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510R-4d