(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-510I-2a, WI

Coin Details

Description

D.J. Doornink of Milwaukee issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. D.J. Doornink issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 510I-2a) is common among the known varieties. 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. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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, D.J. Doornink was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510I-2a