(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-615A-1I, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by C. Stutz of Middlebury, Indiana. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. C. Stutz issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 615A-1I) is 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. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 5 cataloged varieties, C. Stutz was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 615A-1I