(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-720A-3a, WI

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Greenway & Co's in Ripon, Wisconsin, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. The 11 cataloged varieties for Greenway & Co's indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 720A-3a) is common for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation.

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 11 cataloged varieties, Greenway & Co's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 720A-3a