(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-120D-2a, WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Williams Bro's, operating in Columbus, Wisconsin. Columbus, the state capital, was a major military staging area with Camp Chase housing Confederate prisoners and thousands of Union troops training within the city. Williams Bro's issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 120D-2a) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, Williams Bro's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 120D-2a