(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150BB-2A, IL

Coin Details

Description

J.F. Siehler, 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. J.F. Siehler issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 150BB-2A) is common among the known varieties. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. 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 6 cataloged varieties, J.F. Siehler was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150BB-2A