(No Date) Brass Civil War Store Card F-510O-4b, C.E. Graff WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from C.E. Graff, a Milwaukee, Wisconsin business. Milwaukee was Wisconsin's largest city and a major brewing and manufacturing center, with its large German immigrant population strongly supporting the Union cause. The 15 cataloged varieties for C.E. Graff indicate a notable level of token production. This brass striking (Fuld 510O-4b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 15 cataloged varieties, C.E. Graff was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510O-4b