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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from M.H. Good, an Indianapolis, Indiana business. 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. M.H. Good issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 460E-1A) is common for this merchant. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 7 cataloged varieties, M.H. Good was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460E-1A