(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-680A-3B, MN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Ni A.W.E. in Red Wing, Minnesota, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Minnesota was a relatively new state (admitted 1858) also dealing with the Dakota War of 1862, yet its merchants issued store cards during the coin shortage. Ni A.W.E. issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 680A-3B) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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 9 cataloged varieties, Ni A.W.E. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 680A-3B