(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-295A-1D, IN

Coin Details

Description

Hulsman & Alexander of Franklin issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. With 4 known varieties, Hulsman & Alexander produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 295A-1D) is somewhat scarce. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce, resembling the federal Indian Head cent in both size and color.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 4 cataloged varieties, Hulsman & Alexander was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 295A-1D