(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-762A-1A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from V.A. Lake of Rockton, Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 762A-1A. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. V.A. Lake issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This copper striking (Fuld 762A-1A) is common among the known varieties. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. 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 5 cataloged varieties, V.A. Lake was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 762A-1A