Civil War Token Engravers Mossin & Marr

During the midst of the Civil War, engravers and die-smiths Mossin and Marr of Milwaukee Wisconsin were responsible for producing many of Wisconsin’s Civil War Tokens. Representative of their talent and beautiful work, they struck a store card token that advertised their business.

The unique and beautiful reverse was engraved by Marr, whose name appears at 7 o’clock. The token features a partially clothed Amazon woman. In her left hand she holds a flag of the United States, with a Liberty Cap affixed to the top of the flag pole. In her right hand she holds the Union Shield.

Among the multitudes of Civil War Tokens and Patriotic Civil War Tokens produced during the era, many shared a common obverse or reverse die. In the case of this Mossin and Marr variety, the reverse was shared among multitudes of other Civil War tokens, including WI55C-1a (O.M. Warren) and WI700F-1a (Erhardt & Raps).

Below is Mossin & Marr’s storecard. Traded at a value of one-cent, the firm issued the token as a means to advertise their die-sinking business. Listed by the Fuld brothers as CWT WI-510AD-1a, the token uses a reverse die number 1220, and is classified as an R-4. This particular specimen is Choice Extra Fine.

Variety WI510X-2a of Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Louis Kurz – Rarity-6, as also shares the same reverse die:

As well as variety WI510AE-4a of Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Carl Paeschke – Rarity-8:

And a Patriotic Civil War Token with Fuld dies 154 and 218, at a Rarity of Rarity-5:

All four specimens were struck on copper and are plain-edged.

For more information about Mossin & Marr emissions, see other articles here at Nova Numismatics.

Aaron Packard

Notes and Sources

1. Standard Catalog of United States Tokens 1700-1900 Fourth Edition, Russell Rulau, Krause Publications, ©2004
2. Patriotic Civil War Tokens 4th Edition, George & Melvin Fuld, Krause Publications, ©1982
3. Patriotic Civil War Tokens Fifth Edition, George & Melvin Fuld, Krause Publications, ©2005
4. U.S. Civil War Store Cards Second Edition, George & Melvin Fuld, Quarterman Publications, ©1975
5. Die Photos & Fuld/Moore Listings Update of 4th Revised Edition Patriotic Civil War Tokens, George & Melvin Fuld, ©1993
6. The Civil War Token Collectors Guide, Bryan Kanzinger, Valley Forge Coins-Books, ©2001
7. A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals, Katherine Jaeger, Whitman, ©2008
8. The Library of Congress Digital Archives

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Aaron Packard

The author has over 30 years experience in North American numismatics. He is the author of numerous articles about exonumia, including those about tokens, scrip, and the public who used them. He is a member of the ANA, VNA, ACC, C4, CWTS, TAMS, MD-TAMS, AVA, NSCA, and NumisSociety.

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