(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-510AA-1a, WI

Coin Details

Description

A. Miller & Co., based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. The 14 cataloged varieties for A. Miller & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 510AA-1a) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. 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 14 cataloged varieties, A. Miller & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510AA-1a