(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-120B-1A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Ash & Black of Bowlinggrn issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Ash & Black issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 120B-1A) is common among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 7 cataloged varieties, Ash & Black was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 120B-1A