(1864) Copper Civil War Store Card F-640A-2a, W.H.P. Woodward IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from W.H.P. Woodward of Mooresvill, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 640A-2a. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. With 3 known varieties, W.H.P. Woodward produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 640A-2a) is common among the known varieties. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. 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 3 cataloged varieties, W.H.P. Woodward was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 640A-2a