(No Date) Copper-Nickel Civil War Store Card F-155A-1d, J. Lutes IN

Coin Details

Description

J . Lutes of Indiana issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War. Hoosier merchants in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, and smaller towns issued Civil War tokens reflecting Indiana's diverse commercial landscape. With 2 known varieties, J . Lutes produced a modest number of token types. Struck in copper-nickel, this die combination (Fuld 155A-1d) is somewhat scarce. Most Civil War store cards carry no date; this token was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage era. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The copper-nickel composition gave these tokens the closest resemblance to federal coinage of any metal variant.

Rarity Notes

Copper-nickel strikings are moderately scarce compared to pure copper or brass versions. With 2 cataloged varieties, J . Lutes was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 155A-1d