(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-65A-2F, IL

Coin Details

Description

Store card of S.P. Sedgwick & Co. in Bloomingdl, Illinois, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. The 13 cataloged varieties for S.P. Sedgwick & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. This silver striking (Fuld 65A-2F) is rare 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. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. Silver examples were struck in small quantities, often for collectors or as special orders.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 13 cataloged varieties, S.P. Sedgwick & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 65A-2F