(1861-65) Civil War Store Card F-500H-1A, J.H. Gotsch IN

Coin Details

Description

J.H. Gotsch of Indiana issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. With 2 known varieties, J.H. Gotsch produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 500H-1A) 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. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, J.H. Gotsch was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 500H-1A