(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-165A-1B, IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Gentrys of Centervill, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 165A-1B. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Gentrys issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 165A-1B) is common to somewhat scarce. 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 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 6 cataloged varieties, Gentrys was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 165A-1B