(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-425A-6I, AL

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 425A-6I — store card of White & Swann, Huntsville, Alabama. Alabama was a Confederate state, making merchant-issued tokens from Alabama particularly unusual. Most date to early in the war or from areas under Union control. White & Swann produced 29 cataloged die varieties, reflecting a substantial token operation. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 425A-6I) is scarce. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 29 cataloged varieties, White & Swann was a moderately active token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 425A-6I