(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-300D-1a, WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by E. Connell & Co., operating in Janesville, Wisconsin. 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. With 3 known varieties, E. Connell & Co. produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 300D-1a) is common for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 3 cataloged varieties, E. Connell & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 300D-1a