(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460U-2A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 460U-2A — store card of Mrs. A. Thomson & Son, Indianapolis, Indiana. 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. Mrs. A. Thomson & Son issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 460U-2A) is common among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. 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 cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily 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, Mrs. A. Thomson & Son was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460U-2A