(1860) Copper Civil War Store Card F-200A-4a, I.L. Elwood IL

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 200A-4a — store card of I.L. Elwood, DE Kalb, Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. I.L. Elwood issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 200A-4a) is common for this merchant. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 5 cataloged varieties, I.L. Elwood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 200A-4a