(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150J-12B, IL

Coin Details

Description

Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver, a Chicago merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Chicago's explosive growth as a railroad and commodity trading center made it Illinois' primary source of Civil War store cards. Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver produced 21 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 150J-12B) is common to somewhat scarce. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 21 cataloged varieties, Child's, Die Sinker & Engraver was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150J-12B