(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-500N-2b, S.J.M. Loomis IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of S.J.M. Loomis in Kendallville, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. S.J.M. Loomis issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 500N-2b) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. 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. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 5 cataloged varieties, S.J.M. Loomis was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 500N-2b