(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-260A-1a, . Brooks IN

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Wm. Brooks, operating in Elkhart, Indiana. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. Wm. Brooks issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 260A-1a) is common. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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-1a