(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-762A-2do, V.A. Lake IL

Coin Details

Auction Record

$960 MS64 11-18-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Fuld 762A-2do — store card of V.A. Lake, Rockton, Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. V.A. Lake issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This piece is an overstrike struck over a host coin, an 1863 Indian Head cent. Traces of the original design may be visible beneath the new impressions. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color. 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-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. Overstrike varieties are generally scarcer than tokens struck on blank planchets, as they required sourcing and re-striking existing coins. With 5 cataloged varieties, V.A. Lake was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 762A-2do