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

Coin Details

Description

J.C. Hereth of Indianapolis issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. As Indiana's capital and a major railroad hub, Indianapolis was the center of the state's Civil War token production, with merchants using tokens as practical emergency currency. J.C. Hereth issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 460G-1A) is common among the known varieties. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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, J.C. Hereth was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460G-1A