(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-770D-5A, IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by Tansey & Ballard of Plainfield, Indiana. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. Tansey & Ballard issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 770D-5A) is common. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. After Congress banned private coinage in 1864, surviving tokens became instant collectibles, with serious collecting beginning within a decade of the war's end.

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 7 cataloged varieties, Tansey & Ballard was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 770D-5A