(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-550H-1b, E. Reeve IN

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by E. Reeve, operating in Ligonier, Indiana. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. With 2 known varieties, E. Reeve produced a modest number of token types. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 550H-1b) is common to somewhat scarce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 2 cataloged varieties, E. Reeve was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 550H-1b