(1861) Copper Civil War Store Card F-260A-4a, Wm. Brooks IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Wm. Brooks of Elkhart, Indiana. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Wm. Brooks issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 260A-4a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The federal government's response to the coin shortage included issuing fractional currency in denominations as small as three cents, but these paper notes wore out quickly and were unpopular with merchants. 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 5 cataloged varieties, Wm. Brooks was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 260A-4a