(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-620I-6a, 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. This copper striking (Fuld 620I-6a) is common among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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-6a