(1863) Copper Civil War Store Card F-692A-9a, Yankee Robinson IL

Coin Details

Description

Yankee Robinson, a Peoria merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. The 10 cataloged varieties for Yankee Robinson indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 692A-9a) is common for this merchant. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily commerce.

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 10 cataloged varieties, Yankee Robinson was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 692A-9a