(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-5F-4A, MI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Wm. S. Wicox, operating in Adrian, Michigan. Michigan's merchants across numerous cities actively produced tokens to combat the small change shortage affecting Northern commerce. With 4 known varieties, Wm. S. Wicox produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 5F-4A) is common among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 4 cataloged varieties, Wm. S. Wicox was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 5F-4A