(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-460S-1a, Smith & Taylor IN

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 460S-1a — store card of Smith & Taylor, Indianapolis, Indiana. As Indiana's capital and a major railroad hub, Indianapolis was the center of the state's Civil War token production, with merchants using tokens as practical emergency currency. With 2 known varieties, Smith & Taylor produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 460S-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. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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, Smith & Taylor was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 460S-1a