(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-500F-2A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from S.C. Evans & Co., a Kendallville, Indiana business. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. S.C. Evans & Co. issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 500F-2A) is common for this merchant. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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, S.C. Evans & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 500F-2A