(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-150AC-2a, Harlev & Johnson IL

Coin Details

Auction Record

$26 NG0 03-26-2014 Stack's Bowers

Description

Merchant token from Harlev & Johnson of Illinois, cataloged as Fuld 150AC-2a. 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. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 150AC-2a) is common. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. 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 Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.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-2a