(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-800B-1A, IN

Coin Details

Description

G.P. Emswiler & Co., a Richmond merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. The 10 cataloged varieties for G.P. Emswiler & Co. indicate a notable level of token production. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 800B-1A) 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. Between 1862 and 1864, Northern merchants produced millions of private tokens to compensate for the disappearance of federal coinage. 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 10 cataloged varieties, G.P. Emswiler & Co. was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 800B-1A