(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-825A-4A, IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Lott & Warner, a Sycamore, Illinois business. 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. This copper striking (Fuld 825A-4A) is common among the known varieties. Undated Civil War tokens like this one circulated alongside dated issues during the 1862-1864 period. Token manufacturers struck pieces by the thousands, using hand-fed screw presses capable of producing several hundred tokens per hour. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. 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 4 cataloged varieties, Lott & Warner was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 825A-4A