(1861) Brass Civil War Store Card F-525A-1b, S.H. Zahm PA

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from S.H. Zahm, a Lancaster, Pennsylvania business. Pennsylvania was the Union's industrial heartland, with Philadelphia as a manufacturing center and Pittsburgh as an iron and steel producer. With 4 known varieties, S.H. Zahm produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 525A-1b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Professional die sinkers like John Stanton, Benjamin True, and William Bridgens supplied dies to merchants across the Northern states. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. Brass tokens are moderately available, with their yellowish color distinguishing them from the standard copper issues. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 4 cataloged varieties, S.H. Zahm was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 525A-1b