(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630A-10a, H.D. Higgins IN

Coin Details

Description

H.D. Higgins, a Mishawaka merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. H.D. Higgins operated as a jeweler and optician in Mishawaka, Indiana, but he was also a die-sinker who produced dies for numerous Civil War tokens, including a group known as "Indiana Primitives" characterized by their crude, folk-art style. Higgins represents the intersection of merchant and manufacturer in the CW token world. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630A-10a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 19 cataloged varieties, H.D. Higgins was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630A-10a