(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-690E-5a, TN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Ni Walker & Napier of Nashville, Tennessee, cataloged as Fuld 690E-5a. Nashville fell to Union forces in February 1862 and served as a critical supply base for the remainder of the war. Merchant tokens from Nashville date to the Union occupation period. Ni Walker & Napier issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 690E-5a) is common. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. 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 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 9 cataloged varieties, Ni Walker & Napier was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 690E-5a