(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-140A-4I, IN

Coin Details

Description

H. Linck, based in Brookville, Indiana, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. The 10 cataloged varieties for H. Linck indicate a notable level of token production. This zinc striking (Fuld 140A-4I) is scarce among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. 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 10 cataloged varieties, H. Linck was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 140A-4I