(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-825A-3A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from Lott & Warner of Sycamore, Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 825A-3A. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 4 known varieties, Lott & Warner produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 825A-3A) is common for this merchant. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Over 25 million Civil War tokens were produced before Congress ended private coinage in April 1864, making them the largest private coinage movement in American history.

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 4 cataloged varieties, Lott & Warner was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 825A-3A