(1861-65) Copper Civil War Store Card F-975O-2a, L. Young OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$552 AU53BN 09-21-2022 Stack's Bowers

Description

This Civil War token was issued by L. Young, operating in Wooster, Ohio. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. With 2 known varieties, L. Young produced a modest number of token types. This copper striking (Fuld 975O-2a) is common among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Federal coinage vanished from circulation after 1861 as citizens hoarded silver and copper for their metal value, leaving merchants to fill the void with tokens. 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, L. Young was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 975O-2a