(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-560A-2A, IA

Coin Details

Description

Wm. Flemming & Bro., a Lansing merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Iowa contributed disproportionately to the war effort relative to its population, with merchants issuing tokens in small numbers reflecting its less urbanized economy. Wm. Flemming & Bro. issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 560A-2A) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. The cent-sized format was chosen deliberately to match the federal Indian Head cent, the coin most conspicuously absent from daily 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, Wm. Flemming & Bro. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 560A-2A