(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-225A-1B, IL

Coin Details

Description

H.L. Mosley of Illinois issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 2 known varieties, H.L. Mosley produced a modest number of token types. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 225A-1B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 2 cataloged varieties, H.L. Mosley was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 225A-1B