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

Coin Details

Description

Store card of C.L. Holmes 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. C.L. Holmes issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 460H-1B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. No date appears on this token, consistent with the rapid production practices of the 1862-1864 Civil War token boom. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. 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. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, C.L. Holmes was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460H-1B