(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-320-B2A, A IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from A of Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The coin shortage was exacerbated by the simultaneous withdrawal of gold and silver from circulation following the suspension of specie payments in December 1861. Surviving specimens are tangible artifacts of the wartime monetary crisis that affected every commercial transaction in the Northern states.

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 2 cataloged varieties, A was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 320-B2A