(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150AP-1B, IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 150AP-1B. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. This brass striking (Fuld 150AP-1B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 1 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150AP-1B