I am writing an article about a dry goods store that issued tokens in the Civil War in Baraboo, Wisconsin. Token is listed as Baraboo 45 in the Fuld book. I have as much information as the Baraboo Historical Society, Library and local history buffs could offer. I had a few questions perhaps CWT buffs could help me with 1. Does anyone know of previously published article about this specific token? 2. Can you give some background as to how tokens were struck - by who, where, what were likely circumstances etc? 3. Why does this token exist in various metals copper, bronze, white metal silver etc? test pieces or maybe a gift to the buyer? Any information or direction you can offer is greatly appreciated. I would like to publish this article in the NOW (numis of wisconsin) quarterly this summer. Thanks Jon
I can't give you any specific information about that token, but as for who made them, many were made by button manufacturers and makers of other small metal objects such as badges, medals and pins. One hotbed of token manufacturers was to be found in Cincinnati OH. In some cases the token makers actually had traveling salesmen who would traverse the country visiting merchants and trying to sell thm on the profitable advantage of using tokens to alleviate their small change shortage problems. Merchants would be shown samples of the companies product and they would attempt to sell the merchant custom tokens that advertised his business at a rate of around 80 cents per hundred (Storecard tokens) or generic tokens at 60 cents per hundred (patriotics). The advantage for the merchant being the 20 to 40 difference between he price and the face value. Now that doesn't sound like a lot of money to us today, but in 1863 it was a significant amount of money. As for the off metal pieces, you may notice that they are almost always much scarcer than the copper tokens. That is because almost all of them were most likely made as "special" pieces for sale to collectors. And many of them were made in the years AFTER the Civil War. The dies were still around and available and they were often used to create mules and off-metal tokens for sale or trade. After all there was no practical purpose to striking silver or overstriking copper-nickel cents as a circulating medium. And white metal pieces probably would not be accepted as cents at the time. (They still wanted SOME intrinsic value.)
From Kanzinger's book "The Civil War Token Collector's Guide": This copper planchet became the primary business strike choice of most of the die sinkers. They also produced tokens in various other metals. Although a debate rages on, as to the reason of their creation, leading experts consider these examples to be made for sales display or struck primarily for collectors of the period. Off-metal - Civil War tokens struck on a different than the circulating example, which was normally copper. On occasion the base metal was brass or lead, so copper may at times be considered off-metal. These off-metal strikes usually were made in limited numbers (20 or less). It is estimated that the average cost of the patriotic tokens were $4.00 per thousand and close to face value for the store cards, with discounts available for bulk purchases. From George and Melvin Fuld's "Patriotic Civil War Tokens": The extensive striking and restriking of "new varieties" for and by collectors and speculators took place during and shortly after the Civil War. Furthermore, some of the CWT dies fell into the hands of collectors who struck specimens as late as 1940; an example is Fuld 153 over a U.S. large cent. From the Fuld's "U.S. Civil War Store Cards": As discussion of Civil War tokens struck in various metals might be helpful. Unfortunately, for the catalogers of this series, while perhaps it is fortunate for collectors, the early collectors of Civil War tokens during and immediately succeeding the War, wanted rare varieties in their collections. Since the pieces were not of an official nature in the first place, various collectors caused to be made many varieties of these tokens in metals other than copper; viz. brass, nickel, German silver, copper-nickel, white metal, silver and lead. However, many of these off-metal variations had to have been struck previous to the striking of the regular copper issues for general circulation as can be shown by die breaks. In regard to your question #1, my collection of publications from the Civil War Token Society is not very extensive, but perhaps contacting the CWTS or its principals may yield some results. 2. In areas where diesinkers conducted business in close proximity, there is evidence of considerable exchanging of dies for use by their competitors. Some dies are even "signed" with a diesinker's name or initials, but it is not always believed to be the work of the signer. This was done in the more populous areas, such as New York City and Cincinnati. Wisconsin did not have many diesinkers. John Marr, whose business associate was Peter L. Mossin, is generally credited with producing virtually all of Milwaukee's Civil War store cards, as well as most of those from the state of Wisconsin. A few were also done for merchants in the states of Minnesota and Illinois. These tokens are on thick, broad planchets with upset rims, pronounced denticles and high relief striking. The workmanship is excellent. Shubael Davis Childs of Chicago is the only other diesinker who had many tokens circulate in Wisconsin (as well as Illinois, Michigan and Indiana). He produced CW store cards, Sutler tokens and a limited number of patriotics. His tokens are generally well struck on thin planchets. He used few off-metals other than brass, so I would doubt this was the producer of the Peck and Orvis tokens. 3. In addition to the metals you mentioned, Peck & Orvis tokens were also issued in nickel and copper-nickel. All of the off-metal varieties for this merchant have 10 or less known. In fact, of the 13 listed PEck & Orvis varieties, only 1 has a known population of greater than 10.
many thanks. will digest this information and begin writing the article. will likely publish in NOW quarterly (Numis of Wisc.). Thanks again! Jon
