(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-185A-1E, IN

Coin Details

Description

Jacob Groyen of Indiana produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. Jacob Groyen issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in white metal, this die combination (Fuld 185A-1E) is somewhat scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. White metal strikings are less common than copper or brass and show more wear due to the soft alloy.

Rarity Notes

White metal (tin alloy) strikings are less common than copper or brass versions and tend to show more wear due to the softness of the alloy. With 5 cataloged varieties, Jacob Groyen was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 185A-1E