(No Date) Brass Civil War Store Card F-286A/287b, Silver Mine Token

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 MS63 12-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

Civil War token cataloged as Fuld 286A/287b, combining obverse die 286 — a patriotic or political design — with reverse die 287 bearing a "SILVER MINE TOKEN" design. Civil War tokens were privately struck cent-sized pieces that circulated as emergency currency during 1862-1864, when wartime hoarding drained federal coinage from commerce. Produced in brass, an alloy that took die impressions sharply and resisted corrosion well. Brass tokens survive in excellent condition more frequently than copper counterparts. No merchant name or location appears on this die combination. The Fuld catalog assigns such tokens to the Location Unknown section, recognizing them as patriotic issues rather than merchant-sponsored currency. This undated piece was produced circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage.

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 1 cataloged varieties, Silver Mine Token was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 286A/287b