(No Date) Silver Civil War Store Card F-150AG-5f, S.A. Ingram IL

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from S.A. Ingram, a Chicago, Illinois business. Chicago was one of the fastest-growing cities in the world by 1860, rapidly becoming America's railroad hub and grain trading center with a population of 112,000. The 10 cataloged varieties for S.A. Ingram indicate a notable level of token production. The silver composition of this variety (Fuld 150AG-5f) is rare for this merchant. The absence of a date on this token is standard for the 1862-1864 era, when speed of production mattered more than formality. 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. Silver examples were struck in small quantities, often for collectors or as special orders.

Rarity Notes

Silver strikings are considerably scarcer than base metal versions, typically produced in small quantities for collectors or as special presentation pieces. With 10 cataloged varieties, S.A. Ingram was a notable token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 150AG-5f