(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-950A-1B, IN

Coin Details

Description

Merchant token from D. Carlile of Warsaw, Indiana, cataloged as Fuld 950A-1B. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. D. Carlile issued 6 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. This brass striking (Fuld 950A-1B) is common to somewhat 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. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. The brass composition gives this token a warm golden tone that contrasts with the reddish-brown of copper strikings.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 6 cataloged varieties, D. Carlile was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 950A-1B