(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-580B-6A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of J.A. Hinshaw, located in Lynn, Indiana. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. J.A. Hinshaw issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 580B-6A) is common for this merchant. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 9 cataloged varieties, J.A. Hinshaw was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 580B-6A