(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-600E-7b, TN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Stockman & Co. of Tennessee. Tennessee was divided during the Civil War. Nashville fell to Union forces in 1862, and merchants in Union-controlled areas issued tokens as emergency small change. The 12 cataloged varieties for Stockman & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 600E-7b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 12 cataloged varieties, Stockman & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 600E-7b