(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-720A-4a, WI

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Greenway & Co's, operating in Ripon, Wisconsin. 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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 720A-4a) is common. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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-4a