(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-910B-2A, MO

Coin Details

Description

Fuld 910B-2A — store card of Hallemand's, St. Louis, Missouri. St. Louis was the largest city west of the Mississippi and a vital Union stronghold, controlling river commerce and serving as a major military staging area. Hallemand's issued 7 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 910B-2A) is common. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. 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 7 cataloged varieties, Hallemand's was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 910B-2A