(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-472A-2A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Ellsworth & Halsey, a Lacon merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. Ellsworth & Halsey issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 472A-2A) is common among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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 5 cataloged varieties, Ellsworth & Halsey was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 472A-2A