(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-185A-1d, C.W. Smith WI

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 185A-1d — store card of C.W. Smith, East Troy, Wisconsin. 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-1d) 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. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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-1d