(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-600E-8a, TN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Stockman & Co. in Tennessee, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. This copper striking (Fuld 600E-8a) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 12 cataloged varieties, Stockman & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 600E-8a