(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-430A-3a, Barry & M'Dannel TN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Barry & M'Dannel of Knoxville, Tennessee, cataloged as Fuld 430A-3a. Tennessee was divided during the Civil War. Nashville fell to Union forces in 1862, and merchants in Union-controlled areas issued tokens as emergency small change. Barry & M'Dannel issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 430A-3a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 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 5 cataloged varieties, Barry & M'Dannel was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 430A-3a