(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150AY-1a, Wm. Reinhardt IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Wm. Reinhardt of Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 2 known varieties, Wm. Reinhardt produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 150AY-1a) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Wm. Reinhardt was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150AY-1a