(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-175D-2A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Dr. C. Kindermann of Columbia, Indiana. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. With 4 known varieties, Dr. C. Kindermann produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 175D-2A) is common among the known varieties. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Many Civil War tokens survive in high grades because merchants and the public saved them as novelties, resulting in a better average preservation than contemporary federal coins.

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, Dr. C. Kindermann was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 175D-2A