(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-135A-2D, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Cox & Landers, located in Brooklyn, Indiana. Brooklyn was the third-largest city in America before consolidation with New York in 1898, with its own active commercial district and token-issuing merchants. Cox & Landers issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 135A-2D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 6 cataloged varieties, Cox & Landers was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 135A-2D