(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150K-4D, IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Childs' in Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. The 14 cataloged varieties for Childs' indicate a notable level of token production. The copper-nickel composition of this variety (Fuld 150K-4D) is somewhat scarce for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 14 cataloged varieties, Childs' was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150K-4D