(1861-65) Civil War Store Card F-530A-1a, A.&W. H. Barnes OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$360 MS62BN 05-29-2019 Stack's Bowers

Description

Store card of A.&W. H. Barnes in Ohio, struck during the 1862-1864 token era. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 3 known varieties, A.&W. H. Barnes produced a modest number of token types. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 530A-1a) is common for this merchant. Merchants typically ordered tokens from die-sinkers who maintained inventories of patriotic and advertising dies for rapid production. Store cards circulated as emergency currency after wartime hoarding removed federal coins from commercial channels. The federal government's response to the coin shortage included issuing fractional currency in denominations as small as three cents, but these paper notes wore out quickly and were unpopular with merchants. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

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 3 cataloged varieties, A.&W. H. Barnes was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 530A-1a