(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-460R-6a, J.F. Lenour IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.F. Lenour in Indianapolis, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Indianapolis served as a major Union military staging area, with Camp Morton housing Confederate prisoners and Governor Morton directing one of the war's most vigorous state efforts. The 10 cataloged varieties for J.F. Lenour indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 460R-6a) is common for this merchant. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 10 cataloged varieties, J.F. Lenour was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460R-6a