(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-770B-4A, IN

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by M. Osborn, operating in Plainfield, Indiana. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. M. Osborn issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 770B-4A) is common. This undated piece entered commerce during the 1862-1864 period when millions of private tokens replaced vanished federal coinage. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 8 cataloged varieties, M. Osborn was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 770B-4A