(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-500N-3A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Store card of S.J.M. Loomis in Kendallville, Indiana, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. S.J.M. Loomis issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 500N-3A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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.J.M. Loomis was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 500N-3A