(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150AG-6A, IL

Coin Details

Description

S.A. Ingram, a Chicago merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Chicago was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world by 1860, rapidly becoming America's railroad hub and grain trading center with a population of 112,000. The 10 cataloged varieties for S.A. Ingram indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150AG-6A) is common 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. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 10 cataloged varieties, S.A. Ingram was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AG-6A