(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-355A-1B, IN

Coin Details

Description

C. Crooks & Co., a Granville merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. C. Crooks & Co. issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 355A-1B) is common to somewhat scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, C. Crooks & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 355A-1B