(1862) Copper Civil War Store Card F-360A-1a, F.H. Hafer & Co. OH

Coin Details

Description

F.H. Hafer & Co. of Greenville issued this token as emergency currency during the Civil War coin shortage. 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. F.H. Hafer & Co. issued 8 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. Struck in copper, this die combination (Fuld 360A-1a) is common. Many Civil War tokens share common reverse dies, as die sinkers paired merchant-specific obverses with stock patriotic or advertising reverses. Private tokens entered circulation after the suspension of specie payments in late 1861 drained small change from commerce. Civil War store cards are collected both as numismatic items and as historical documents of wartime American commerce.

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 8 cataloged varieties, F.H. Hafer & Co. was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 360A-1a