(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-510R-3b, WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Ch. Hermann & Co., located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Milwaukee's thriving German-American merchant community made it the center of Wisconsin's Civil War token production. The 15 cataloged varieties for Ch. Hermann & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 510R-3b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 15 cataloged varieties, Ch. Hermann & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 510R-3b