(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460A-1A, IN

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by Alvord, Cladwell & Alvord, operating in Indianapolis, Indiana. Indianapolis served as a major Union military staging area, with Camp Morton housing Confederate prisoners and Governor Morton directing one of the war's most vigorous state efforts. Alvord, Cladwell & Alvord issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 460A-1A) is common. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes.

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 5 cataloged varieties, Alvord, Cladwell & Alvord was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460A-1A