(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630A-12a, H.D. Higgins IN

Coin Details

Auction Record

$240 XF40BN 12-13-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

H.D. Higgins, a Mishawaka merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. H.D. Higgins operated as a jeweler and optician in Mishawaka, Indiana, but he was also a die-sinker who produced dies for numerous Civil War tokens, including a group known as "Indiana Primitives" characterized by their crude, folk-art style. Higgins represents the intersection of merchant and manufacturer in the CW token world. This copper striking (Fuld 630A-12a) is common among the known varieties. Although undated, this token was produced during the 1862-1864 period when federal coins disappeared from commerce. Die sinkers offered merchants a choice of metals, with copper being cheapest and most common, while silver and gold were struck for collectors. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes.

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 19 cataloged varieties, H.D. Higgins was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630A-12a