(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150A-3A, IA

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Reynolds & Co., located in Cedar Rpds, Iowa. Iowa contributed disproportionately to the war effort relative to its population, with merchants issuing tokens in small numbers reflecting its less urbanized economy. With 3 known varieties, Reynolds & Co. produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150A-3A) is common for this merchant. 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. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily 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 3 cataloged varieties, Reynolds & Co. was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150A-3A