(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-13A-2i, PA

Coin Details

Description

Wm. Carson, based in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. Wm. Carson issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 13A-2i) is scarce. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. 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. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, Wm. Carson was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 13A-2i