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

Coin Details

Description

S.C. Evans & Co. of Kendallville issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. S.C. Evans & Co. issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in brass, this die combination (Fuld 500F-2B) is common to somewhat scarce. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. 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. Brass was the second most common planchet material after copper, giving tokens a golden appearance.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 5 cataloged varieties, S.C. Evans & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 500F-2B