(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460A-3c, WI

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from E. Wirth of Mayfield, Wisconsin, cataloged as Fuld 460A-3c. 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 E. Wirth indicate a notable level of token production. The nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 460A-3c) is scarce for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Nickel tokens were produced in smaller quantities than the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Nickel strikings are generally scarcer than copper or brass versions, as nickel was more expensive and harder to strike. With 10 cataloged varieties, E. Wirth was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460A-3c