(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-305A-2I, IN

Coin Details

Description

G.W. Follett, based in Fremont, Indiana, produced this token as a cent substitute during the wartime coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. G.W. Follett issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 305A-2I) is scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 7 cataloged varieties, G.W. Follett was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 305A-2I