(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-420A-1d, WI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from W.H. Horn of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, cataloged as Fuld 420A-1d. 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. The 10 cataloged varieties for W.H. Horn indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 420A-1d) is somewhat scarce. 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. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 10 cataloged varieties, W.H. Horn was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 420A-1d