(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-690A-4A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Collins Bro's of Paris, Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 690A-4A. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. The 10 cataloged varieties for Collins Bro's indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 690A-4A) is common. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Each unique combination of obverse and reverse dies constitutes a separate Fuld catalog number, even when struck in the same metal. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

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 10 cataloged varieties, Collins Bro's was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 690A-4A