(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-120D-5a, WI

Coin Details

Description

Williams Bro's of Columbus issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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-5a) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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-5a