(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460F-4A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of J.B. Grout in Indianapolis, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. J.B. Grout issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 460F-4A) is common. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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, J.B. Grout was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460F-4A