(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-145B-2a, Thick Plan G.L. Bowne NY

Coin Details

Description

Thick Plan G.L. Bowne of New York issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. G.L. Bowne operated "The Iron Clad" hardware store in Cooperstown, New York — a business name cleverly referencing both ironclad warships and the iron goods sold within. His tokens read "WILL REDEEM AT THE IRON CLAD / G.L. BOWNE." The Iron Clad Building at 92 Main Street is now a contributing structure to the Cooperstown Historic District. This copper striking (Fuld 145B-2a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. 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 15 cataloged varieties, Thick Plan G.L. Bowne was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 145B-2a