(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-620I-2a, WI

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Levy & Duncan, an Oshkosh, Wisconsin business. Wisconsin was a growing frontier state with Milwaukee as its largest commercial center, and its merchants issued tokens as practical solutions to the coin shortage. Levy & Duncan issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 620I-2a) is common. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. 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 Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 6 cataloged varieties, Levy & Duncan was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 620I-2a