(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150AK-4A, IL

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Marsh & Miner, operating in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago's explosive growth as a railroad and commodity trading center made it Illinois' primary source of Civil War store cards. The 11 cataloged varieties for Marsh & Miner indicate a notable level of token production. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150AK-4A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 11 cataloged varieties, Marsh & Miner was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AK-4A