(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-460Z-3A, IN

Coin Details

Description

A.D. Wood of Indianapolis issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. A.D. Wood issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 460Z-3A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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-3A