(1861-65) Civil War Store Card F-557A-3a, John Frank OH

Coin Details

Description

This Civil War token was issued by John Frank in Ohio. The breadth of Ohio's Civil War token production reflects the state's diverse economy, from Cincinnati's river trade to Cleveland's Lake Erie shipping to interior manufacturing towns. John Frank issued 5 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 557A-3a) is common for this merchant. The dies for merchant tokens were usually cut by professional engravers who could produce a complete set in a matter of days. Civil War tokens addressed a practical problem: the wartime disappearance of federal small change made daily transactions nearly impossible without private substitutes. The Fuld catalog documents thousands of distinct die combinations for Civil War store cards, making this one of the most complex series in American numismatics.

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 5 cataloged varieties, John Frank was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 557A-3a