(No Date) Copper Civil War Store Card F-630A-13a, H.D. Higgins IN

Coin Details

Description

Civil War store card issued by H.D. Higgins of Mishawaka, Indiana. 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. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 630A-13a) is common for this merchant. The absence of a date is typical for Civil War tokens produced during the 1862-1864 emergency currency period. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern 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 19 cataloged varieties, H.D. Higgins was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 630A-13a