(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-260B-1a, Davenport & Son IN

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Davenport & Son, 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. With 2 known varieties, Davenport & Son produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 260B-1a) is common among the known varieties. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Davenport & Son was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 260B-1a