(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-460T-4d, M. Spencer IN

Coin Details

Description

M. Spencer, an Indianapolis merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. As Indiana's capital and a major railroad hub, Indianapolis was the center of the state's Civil War token production, with merchants using tokens as practical emergency currency. M. Spencer issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper-nickel striking (Fuld 460T-4d) is somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 7 cataloged varieties, M. Spencer was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460T-4d