(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-580A-1I, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Elliott & Hinshaw, a Lynn, Indiana business. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. Elliott & Hinshaw issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in zinc, this die combination (Fuld 580A-1I) is scarce. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 7 cataloged varieties, Elliott & Hinshaw was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 580A-1I