(1864) Civil War Store Card F-295A-2a, Hulsman & Alexander IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Hulsman & Alexander in Franklin, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. With 4 known varieties, Hulsman & Alexander produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 295A-2a) is common 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. 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 4 cataloged varieties, Hulsman & Alexander was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 295A-2a