(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-100B-1a, Snow Hill WV

Coin Details

Description

Civil War merchant token bearing the name of Snow Hill, located in Charleston, West Virginia. West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863 to remain in the Union. Its merchants produced tokens to address the coin shortage in the newly formed state. With 2 known varieties, Snow Hill produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 100B-1a) is common among the known varieties. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Token production peaked in 1863 when the coin shortage was most acute, with die sinkers working around the clock to fill merchant orders.

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 2 cataloged varieties, Snow Hill was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 100B-1a