(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-290E-6A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of W.H. Brooks Jr. in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. W.H. Brooks Jr. issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 290E-6A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 8 cataloged varieties, W.H. Brooks Jr. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 290E-6A