(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-500U-3B, IN

Coin Details

Description

D.S. Welch, a Kendallville merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. D.S. Welch issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 500U-3B) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The Civil War small change crisis generated the largest private coinage movement in American history, with merchants and die sinkers producing tokens for circulation. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, D.S. Welch was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 500U-3B