(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-810A-1I, IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D. S. Gould of Rochester, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 810A-1I. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. D. S. Gould issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This zinc striking (Fuld 810A-1I) is scarce among the known varieties. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. The token era ended when Congress authorized new federal small-denomination currency and criminalized private token production in 1864. Zinc tokens corrode easily, and surviving examples in good condition are scarce.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 5 cataloged varieties, D. S. Gould was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 810A-1I