(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150G-3a, Ira Brown IL

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 150G-3a — store card of Ira Brown, Chicago, Illinois. Chicago was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world by 1860, rapidly becoming America's railroad hub and grain trading center with a population of 112,000. With 4 known varieties, Ira Brown produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150G-3a) is common for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 4 cataloged varieties, Ira Brown was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150G-3a