(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150D-1A, KS

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Kansas, cataloged as Fuld 150D-1A. Kansas had been "Bleeding Kansas" in the 1850s slavery debate and was strongly Unionist. Its smaller population produced fewer token varieties. This copper striking (Fuld 150D-1A) is common among the known varieties. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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

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, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150D-1A