(1864) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-810A-2d, D.S. Gould IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D. S. Gould of Rochester, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 810A-2d. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. D. S. Gould issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 810A-2d) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. 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 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 5 cataloged varieties, D. S. Gould was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 810A-2d