(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-690B-6D, IL

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 690B-6D — store card of A.C. Connely's, Paris, Illinois. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. A.C. Connely's issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 690B-6D) is somewhat scarce. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant. 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-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 9 cataloged varieties, A.C. Connely's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 690B-6D