(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460Y-1I, IN

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 460Y-1I — store card of J.B. Wilson, 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. J.B. Wilson issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 460Y-1I) is scarce. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 6 cataloged varieties, J.B. Wilson was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460Y-1I