(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-65A-2d, S.P. Sedgwick & Co. IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from S.P. Sedgwick & Co. of Bloomingdl, Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 65A-2d. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. The 13 cataloged varieties for S.P. Sedgwick & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 65A-2d) is somewhat scarce. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color. 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-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 13 cataloged varieties, S.P. Sedgwick & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 65A-2d