(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150J-22a, Childs IL

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver, operating in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago's explosive growth as a railroad and commodity trading center made it Illinois' primary source of Civil War store cards. Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver produced 21 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150J-22a) 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. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 21 cataloged varieties, Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150J-22a