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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of F.E. Rigby, located in Chicago, Illinois. 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. F.E. Rigby issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 150AZ-3A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. 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 5 cataloged varieties, F.E. Rigby was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AZ-3A