(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-620A-2I, IN

Coin Details

Description

W.W. Cotteral, P.M., a Middletown merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. W.W. Cotteral, P.M. issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 620A-2I) is scarce among the known varieties. 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. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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, W.W. Cotteral, P.M. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 620A-2I