(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-150N-1A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Dodd's Elgin Dairy, 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. With 4 known varieties, Dodd's Elgin Dairy produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 150N-1A) 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. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 4 cataloged varieties, Dodd's Elgin Dairy was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150N-1A