Civil War token collector here!

[Larry]

Good guess, Aidan.

It is a U.S. Civil War Store Card.

[BCNumismatics]

Larry,
  To me,the term 'store card' implies that it wasn't used as currency.

I use the term 'trader's currency token',as this was obviously in circulation as if it was a 1c. coin,being the same size.

Aidan.

[Larry]

U.S. Civil War Store Cards and Patriotic Tokens were certainly 'trader's currency,' often called merchant tokens.  We have a Civil War Token Society that determines proper terminology for use in America regarding these tokens.  Merchants and 'traders' are the same, everywhere, including New Zealand and the UK.  The word 'card' indicates advertising.  It has no bearing on whether the piece could circulate.  Money was so scarce that any coin-type object with intrinsic value could circulate.

Patriotic Civil War Tokens were 'generics,' offered in trade by merchants who had not arranged for individualized dies to be manufactured for them.

And every Conder Token, whether intended for circulation or for collectors, is classified in the same manner, as a 'token,' because it could easily circulate in place of coin of the realm during times of shortage in genuine government-issued coinage.

[LotsoLuck]

This thread is devoloping into something interesting   

[1863cwt]

This thread is devoloping into something interesting 

For once I started something good! 

[LotsoLuck]

Its always good when it comes to CWT's 
Heres a common but fun error

[BCNumismatics]

That's a very nice spelling mistake - 'SPOOT' instead of 'SPOT'.

That is interesting to see the French word for 10 - Dix on a U.S. currency token.You would expect to see that on a Confederate States of America 1c. currency token,especially one from Louisiana.

Aidan.

[Larry]

Among the best-known varieties of patriotic tokens are the so-called "Dix tokens." They are named for John Adams Dix, who served as Secretary of the Treasury in 1861. In a letter from Dix to a revenue cutter captain, Lieutenant Caldwell, he orders Caldwell to relieve another cutter captain of his command for refusing an order to transfer from New Orleans to New York. The letter ends with the following sentence: "If any one attempts to haul down the American flag, shoot him on the spot." The quote found its way to a number of patriotic tokens, albeit with a slightly modified wording ("haul down" is usually replaced by "tear it down").

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_War_token

[Larry]

Here's a nice Civil War Store Card.  The engraving firm of Mossin & Marr manufactured this token. Like a few other companies that had specialized in metal signage, they added to production of tokens, which were private coinage. John Marr was the actual die sinker.  The reverse (on the right here) is not found on any patriotic tokens.  : )

This token has a few aspects which I have enjoyed:

• Indian Chief, with hair, feathers and diamond shapes
• Milwaukee, Wis.
• Die sinker's signature, Marr
• 1863 date
• Hardware: hammer, hatchet, shovel, saw
• "Don't Despair," funny
• Nice lettering
• Well struck on both sides
• Wonderful dentils, rims and edge
• Great color, with glorious natural toning
• Exemplary detail in amazing mint condition

This example is graded MS-64 RB by NGC, but it looks much better to me.  ; )





NOTE:  The obverse of a Civi War Store card is determined to be the side that identifies the merchant. 
Sometimes both sides name a merchant.  In those few cases, other factors were used to determine which
would be catalogued as the obverse.

[coinsarefun]

Nice ones so far .......lets keep it going


1863
Our Little Monitor
F-237/423a
Copper


NGC MS64......not sure why they didn't grade it a Red/Brown though