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

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Hermann Voigt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. Hermann Voigt issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 510AQ-1a) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Hermann Voigt was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510AQ-1a