(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-350C-2I, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Goshen, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 350C-2I. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. This zinc striking (Fuld 350C-2I) is scarce among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, this merchant was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 350C-2I