(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-25A-1a, Ira H. Fitch IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Ira H. Fitch of Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 25A-1a. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. This copper striking (Fuld 25A-1a) is common among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, the U.S. Mint dramatically increased production of small-denomination coins, and the new bronze two-cent piece helped alleviate the shortage. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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 1 cataloged varieties, Ira H. Fitch was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 25A-1a