(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-70A-1A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Baum Walter & Co. of Avilla, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 70A-1A. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Baum Walter & Co. issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 70A-1A) is common for this merchant. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. 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 6 cataloged varieties, Baum Walter & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 70A-1A