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

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Tansey & Ballard, located in 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. The brass composition of this variety (Fuld 770D-5B) is common to somewhat scarce for this merchant. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 7 cataloged varieties, Tansey & Ballard was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 770D-5B