(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-190B-4b, Ira W. Bowen IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Ira W. Bowen of Corunna, Indiana. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. Ira W. Bowen issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 190B-4b) is common to somewhat scarce. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 5 cataloged varieties, Ira W. Bowen was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 190B-4b