(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-910A-5A, MO

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Drovers Hotel of St. Louis, Missouri, cataloged as Fuld 910A-5A. 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-5A) 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. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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-5A