(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150AC-1a, Harlev & Johnson IL

Coin Details

Description

Harlev & Johnson of Illinois issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Illinois was a critical Union state with Chicago rapidly becoming one of America's largest commercial centers, driving token production across the state. With 3 known varieties, Harlev & Johnson produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 150AC-1a) is common among the known varieties. Like the majority of Civil War store cards, this token is undated, produced during the acute 1862-1864 small change crisis. The token trade was competitive, with die sinkers in New York, Cincinnati, and other cities vying for merchant orders across the region. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 3 cataloged varieties, Harlev & Johnson was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 150AC-1a