(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-910B1I, MO

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card from Missouri, cataloged as Fuld 910B1I. Missouri was a contested border state with St. Louis as a Union stronghold where most Missouri Civil War store cards originated. 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. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Die sinkers in major cities competed fiercely for merchant orders, offering stock reverses that could be paired with custom obverse dies featuring the merchant's name and business information. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 910B1I