(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-910A-3A, MO

Coin Details

Description

Drovers Hotel of St. Louis issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. St. Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi and a vital Union stronghold, controlling river commerce and serving as a major military staging area. The 11 cataloged varieties for Drovers Hotel indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 910A-3A) is common for this merchant. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, Drovers Hotel was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 910A-3A