(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460A-2A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Alvord, Cladwell & Alvord of 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. This copper striking (Fuld 460A-2A) is common among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. 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-2A