(1863) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-215A-2d, J. Hayes & Bro. IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from J. Hayes & Bro. of Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 215A-2d. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 2 known varieties, J. Hayes & Bro. produced a modest number of token types. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 215A-2d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. 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-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 2 cataloged varieties, J. Hayes & Bro. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 215A-2d