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

Coin Details

Description

A.D. Wood of Indianapolis issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. A.D. Wood issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 460Z-1A) is common for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 6 cataloged varieties, A.D. Wood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460Z-1A