(No Date) Zinc Civil War Store Card F-175E-1i, S.S. Lavey IN

Coin Details

Description

S.S. Lavey, a Columbia merchant, issued this Civil War store card during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. Indiana was an important agricultural and manufacturing state, with merchants producing store cards as emergency currency when federal coinage was hoarded. With 4 known varieties, S.S. Lavey produced a modest number of token types. The zinc composition of this variety (Fuld 175E-1i) is scarce for this merchant. Civil War tokens rarely bear dates. This piece was struck during the 1862-1864 coin shortage, when merchants needed emergency small change. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Congress banned private token issuance in April 1864, but before that, tokens like this one circulated freely as cent substitutes in Northern commerce. Zinc strikings are uncommon and prone to corrosion, making preserved examples desirable.

Rarity Notes

Zinc strikings are relatively uncommon and prone to corrosion, making well-preserved examples particularly desirable. With 4 cataloged varieties, S.S. Lavey was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 175E-1i