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

Coin Details

Description

Store card of Mrs. A. Thomson & Son in Indianapolis, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. 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. Mrs. A. Thomson & Son issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 460U-1A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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, Mrs. A. Thomson & Son was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460U-1A