(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460Z-1I, 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. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 460Z-1I) is scarce. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. 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, A.D. Wood was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 460Z-1I