(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-190B-1A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Ira W. Bowen of Corunna, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 190B-1A. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Ira W. Bowen issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 190B-1A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Ira W. Bowen was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 190B-1A