(1862) Civil War Store Card F-320A-1a, H. Wind PA

Coin Details

Auction Record

$204 MS64BN 10-07-2020 Heritage Auctions

Description

H. Wind of Pennsylvania produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. With 3 known varieties, H. Wind produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 320A-1a) is common for this merchant. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 3 cataloged varieties, H. Wind was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 320A-1a