(1863) Brass Civil War Store Card F-550A-1b, H.M. Cochran OH

Coin Details

Auction Record

$4,320 MS61 10-14-2020 Stack's Bowers

Description

Fuld 550A-1b — store card of H.M. Cochran, Mcconnels, Ohio. Ohio's extensive commercial networks across dozens of cities generated an unparalleled body of merchant token issues during the 1862-1864 coin shortage. With 2 known varieties, H.M. Cochran produced a modest number of token types. This brass striking (Fuld 550A-1b) is common to somewhat scarce among the known varieties. Token production was a specialized trade — die sinkers maintained catalogs of stock dies that merchants could pair with custom obverses. Merchant-issued tokens circulated as substitutes for scarce federal coinage throughout the Northern states between 1862 and 1864. Brass planchets were readily available to die sinkers, making this a relatively accessible metal variant for collectors. Collectors classify Civil War tokens by the Fuld numbering system, which catalogs each unique die combination with rarity ratings from R-1 (over 5,000 known) to R-10 (unique).

Rarity Notes

Brass strikings are among the more available metal variants, though typically less common than copper. With 2 cataloged varieties, H.M. Cochran was a limited producer of Civil War tokens.

Cross References

Fuld 550A-1b