(1864) Civil War Store Card F-355A-3a, C. Crooks & Co. IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by C. Crooks & Co. of Granville, Indiana. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. C. Crooks & Co. issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 355A-3a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 6 cataloged varieties, C. Crooks & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 355A-3a