(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-250F-3a, WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from F.R. Schettler, a Green Bay, Wisconsin business. 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. F.R. Schettler issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 250F-3a) is common. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 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 6 cataloged varieties, F.R. Schettler was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 250F-3a