(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-10H-1a, D.L. Wing & Co. NY

Coin Details

Auction Record

$101 MS64BN 06-04-2023 eBay

Description

D.L. Wing & Co. of New York issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. D.L. Wing & Co. operated as flour merchants at 318 Broadway in Albany, marketing their product under the patriotic brand name "Union Flour." The tokens feature wheat stalks flanking the inscription, reflecting Albany's position as a major grain milling center on the Erie Canal. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 10H-1a) is common. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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 18 cataloged varieties, D.L. Wing & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 10H-1a